Son of Neptune pt 1
by eMMeD
Summary: STORY CANCELLED- READ ACTUAL SON OF NEPTUNE BY RICK RIORDAN. IT IS FAR BETTER. THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO FOLLOWED. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T FINISH IT...
1. Reyna I

Reyna had a death wish… that much she was sure of! Why else would she make the hasty agreement to join Kylie and Ryan on their next prank without even asking who the unlucky demigod that they were going to prank was? Oh, yeah… she was a daughter of Proserpina. That always meant she was an inch away from making a hasty decision which she usually regretted seconds later.

Reyna hadn't been regretting this specific decision. Her best friend Hazel, Daughter of Ceres, said some good old fashioned fun was just what Reyna needed. "You've been down in the dumps since Jason went missing. What better to get you out of the low places than having some fun with kids with flying shoes?" Hazel said in her southern accent. Reyna rolled her eyes. Hazel wouldn't know a clever quip if it jumped up and down in front of her wearing nothing but fruit of the looms, but that didn't stop Hazel from trying to make up her own. Of course, Hazel's horrible sayings were some of the things that made her and Reyna such good friends.

"Maybe your right, Haze… but it's hard. I can't just force myself to forget that Jason just disappeared. Why can't Lupa let me look for him?" Reyna asked. No one was allowed to look for Jason son of Jupiter, and just sitting around was driving Reyna up the wall. If it wasn't for Hazel (and the fact that she was now, since she had been Jason's right hand man, the camp leader) Reyna would have long since decided to disregard a direct order from Lupa and search for Jason. Thank the gods for Hazel! Direct defiance of Lupa was base treachery. "I wonder what prank they have in mind…"

"You don't know?" Hazel said, bursting into manic laughter. That did not sound good.

"What is it?" Reyna asked, dreading the answer. Knowing Kylie and Ryan, who were half sibling (kids of Mercury), this prank would involve thievery, hilarity, and a nearly invincible target. "Nearly invisible..." Reyna repeated aloud and it clicked! "Oh, gods! Please tell me it's not Jax!" Reyna was terrified at this conclusion.

"Mm, I could tell you that…" Hazel began in a way that obviously meant if she did it would be a lie.

Reyna cursed in Latin, "What are they planning?" She didn't give Hazel a chance to answer. "They are insane!"

"Well, insane or not, you have to meet them in a few moments," Hazel said, nearly bursting into uncontrollable giggles again. Reyna cursed again. She always kept her promises… no matter how hasty or stupid the promise was. How would it look if she didn't? Her mom kept her promise to Pluto, and Reyna, who had met Pluto on a couple occasions, knew how hard that one had to be to keep. Could pulling a prank on Jax really be that bad in comparison? _It could if he kills me and I'm stuck living in Plutoland all year long, _the pessimistic voice in her head said. This voice always got louder during winter. Lucky (which obviously meant when translated from the language of sarcasm to English "unluckily") for Reyna, it was winter.

"See you if I survive!" Reyna said gloomily. Hazel laughed and rolled her eyes.

"You would make a great waiter," Hazel said as Reyna pulled herself up off of the trunk she had been using as a chair (being the only Proserpina kid, no one had bothered ever building her an actual cabin, but Reyna was fine with that. She enjoyed being close to nature.). Reyna stopped at the tent flap, hoping whatever Hazel had to say was good. Her strange sayings could often lift Reyna out of pessimism, and Reyna was hoping this was one of those times. She needed her spirits lifted.

"Why?" Reyna asked.

"You'd never be late in refilling a drink, seeing as you always think the glass is half empty," Hazel replied. Baddump choo! Reyna rolled her eyes. Corny, but it helped.

"Hazel, you are weird," Reyna said.

"But you love me anyway!" Hazel grinned. Reyna rolled her eyes and left the tent. It was midnight, and now the time made sense, Reyna realized as she walked past the Minerva cabin (a structure that looked a lot like the library of congress only miniature). Both of the Neptune kids would be asleep by now. Gwendolyn (Gwen to all who knew her) was one of the younger campers. She was only seven and usually in bed by nine p.m. Jax was older, somewhere between sixteen and eighteen, but no one was sure exactly how old he was. He was also always tired and usually in bed by ten.

Reyna passed many cabins and tents on her way. Mercury (which looked like a glorified truck stop), Venus (Reyna always thought of the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz when she passed it, except for the smell. It was like stepping into Perfume World at the mall even from five yards away), Mars (in Reyna's opinion it looked like what she thought a bomb shelter looked like), Jupiter (it made Reyna sad to pass here. She missed Jason so much) (It was a replica of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus). Next to Jupiter's cabin was their target, the Neptune tent (the cabin had been burnt down during the second Titanomachy).

Ryan and Kylie were already outside of the Neptune tent. Ryan was sitting quietly looking off into nowhere, and Kylie was staring at the tent as if she had to count every fiber that made it up and tell exactly how long each fiber was. Of course, Reyna, who, with Jason also, had pulled many pranks with these two in the past, knew what Kylie was really doing. Kylie was one of the few children of Mercury who could see and walk through solid objects. "I'm not really sure if that's part of the traveller, merchant, or thief part of Mercury. Whatever it is, it sure is helpful!" Kylie would say in explanation.

"Guys, I'm not sure Jax is a smart person to prank," Reyna said as she drew near, hoping her sudden appearance would startle them, not even lowering her voice. Kylie turned around and shushed Reyna, and then she went back to staring at the tent as if nothing had happened.

"Get down, Reyna! If they are still up they'll see your outline," Ryan said. Reyna thought she might just refuse, but decided it would waste less time if she simply submitted. She felt the wet grass through the knees of her pajama pants, automatically wishing that she had thought ahead and put on a pair of jeans.

"We probably shouldn't do this, guys. He's a kid of the big three!" Reyna said, again at normal voice level.

"Jason was also a child of the big three," Kylie pointed out without even shifting her gaze from the tent. Reyna froze for a second. _Was… Jason was_, Reyna thought depressively. How she hated that pessimistic voice!

"You're not chickening out, are you?" Ryan asked, grinning in a way that made his elfish features more pronounced. Of course, Ryan, the ever oblivious, had misinterpreted Reyna's quietness as having no answer to what Kylie had to say. Ryan's stupidity was "just the splash of cold water" (as Hazel would say) to get Reyna out of her pity party and into prideful daughter of Proserpina mood.

"I am not chickening out! I was just saying… We know Jason can take a joke, but who knows with Jax? Not only is he a kid of the big three… he's also freaking invincible. If he can't take a joke…" Reyna said heatedly.

"Buck Buck!" Ryan said in a rather convincing imitation of a chicken. Reyna could almost imagine Ryan with a beak and feathers. If Reyna had been in a better (like if the month was June instead of December), she would have found the mental image hilarious, but now she only found it annoying. That little pessimistic, Proserpina kid voice spoke up again, this time defiant!

"What's the plan?" Reyna asked Kyla in a pointed way that excluded Ryan. She knew, of course, that Ryan would answer her, but she hoped that he would notice that she was upset. Unlikely, he had the perception skills of a guppy.

"We'll tell you once inside," Ryan replied, showing those wonderful perception skills. He turned to his sister, "Are they asleep?" Kylie still had her eyes focused on the tent.

"Hold on a second, Ryan. I can only see shapes from out here. They are definitely in bed," Kyla said. Inclined her head, and Reyna thought wildly of the first time she'd seen Kylie do this.

_It had been a rather cold day in late January, the type of day that made Reyna wish she had an insulated cabin and not a tent that seemed to beckon the cold to enter. Reyna was sitting on her cot, fresh tears running down her face, she was only his friend… he'd never think of her as more. "Reyna… Reyna, come out!" Kylie's voice came from outside of the tent._

"_Go away!" Kylie was the last person Reyna wanted to see. The snake in the grass!_

"_Reyna, we have to talk!" this time the voice wasn't muffled by the tent canvas. But that wasn't possible. The Trivia cabin had given her some salve that locked her tent flap as if it had a bolt. Only she could have opened it. _

_ Kylie stood in front of the tent flap on the inside of the tent. "I knew I should have gotten the salve from Lydia and not Harley," Reyna growled. _

_ "Wouldn't've helped," Kylie said. She moved her arm up to the tent canvas and phased it through. Needless to say, Reyna was shocked._

_ "Wha- How?" Reyna's words stumbled on her lips. Kylie shook her head._

_ "That is not important now. What is important is that I'm not going to apologize for liking Jason," Kylie said. Reyna rolled her eyes. _

_ "Thanks… that is just what I needed to hear. Now if you do not mind, I would like to be left alone," Reyna snapped. _

_ "Reyna, that's not all. You are going to have to get used to seeing Jason with other girls. If you never tell him how you feel…" Kylie began. Reyna got up from the bed and grabbed her spear, malogranatum._

_ "I am serious, Kylie. Get out or else I will be forced to use this," Reyna said. Kylie just shook her head and phased out of the tent._

It had taken Reyna months to get over it. She had only really forgiven Kylie after Kylie and Jason had broken up. That was a year ago. Kylie pulled her head out of the tent. "Asleep like babies," Kylie chuckled. Ryan rubbed his hands together sinisterly.

"Good, good." Reyna got the sudden impression of a Bond's villain. Reyna could almost imagine Ryan bald with a cat in his lap, slowly stroking its head. Hmm… maybe that was Ryan's demigod power, making himself look like a moron in people's mind's eye. Somehow, Reyna found this to be a very acceptable power for the son of Mercury. "Let's go," Ryan jumped to his feet and Reyna's mental image shattered.

"Help me up," Kylie demanded of her brother. Ryan offered her his arms and pulled her into a standing position. Reyna grudgingly followed the children of Mercury into Neptune's tent. Somehow she knew this prank wasn't going to end well, though she was hoping this was just the winter talking.


	2. ReynaJax II

**A/N: Okay so sorry I did not update sooner. Blame the block! You know, the one all writers dread. Okay, so this is my source for all my names:**

**./Gods/db/pub/pub?by=greekname**

**Disclaimer: I actually am Rick Riordan, and this is my next book. JK! I wish I was Rick Riordan. Who wouldn't wanna own PJO? Or even better... Harry Potter! Sorry to all you die hard Riordan fans, but if I get the choice, I wanna be JK Rowling.**

* * *

**Reyna**

Both Reyna and the Mercury cabin were suffering from the wrath of Jax, The Son of Neptune. They could not go canoeing or practice naval battles because every time they did one of the water spirits would attack them. Who knew that you could make water hurt?

The lack of naval practice did not really bug Reyna who preferred the straight up land attacks, but she did not like the fact that the Horace, son of Morpheus, had turned coat. His dream manipulation skills paired with Jax's water affiliation meant that Kylie, Ryan, and Reyna wet themselves nightly.

"Gwen," Kylie, Ryan, and Reyna had cornered the little girl after dinner a week post-prank, "Can you get Jax to lay off?" Kylie asked. Gwen gave an apologetic look that did not raise Reyna's spirits.

"I'm sorry, you guys. I've been trying to get him to stop for days," Gwen said. Reyna saw her feelings mirrored in the crestfallen faces of Kylie and Ryan. "I think he's getting bored with the whole making you wet yourselves, and, if I know Jax, which means there'll only be a little while left!" Gwen added brightly.

About two days later, Reyna woke up without having wet herself and thought Gwen might be right, but the next morning… Reyna was not as sure.

_Water swirled around, one moment it would be near humanoid in shape and, then the next, it would be a wave. A voice similar to the oracle's rang out. _

_These stories are for the one you know_

_The one with no memory to show_

_His hidden past is in these pages_

_Showing him to be a hero for the ages_

_ The water swished menacingly_, and Reyna woke with a gasp. "Oh! Ut fata incide chorda, Jax!" Reyna yelled loudly. She was rather glad that Lupa was off on the hunt, otherwise, after an exclamation like that, she would be on KP duty for a few months.

Reyna pulled off the sheets of her bed, still cursing Jax under her breath in Latin, and dropped the soiled pile into a corner. They landed with a thud. A thud? Since when did a pile of cotton sheets go _thud? _Reyna leaned back over and pulled up the sheets, shaking them out onto the grass ground. She was not really caring about the _stuff _she was getting on her hands. She would wash off in the river later. The naiads could get over it.

Two more thuds sounded as two thick books hit the ground. A small card stuck out of the corner of one. Reyna kneeled down and picked up the card.

XXXXX

**Jax**

Jax was not in the mood. If truth be told, for the last few months he had not been in the mood. Since that was as far back as he could remember he may have never been in the mood.

"Jax, Jax," Reyna's voice came from behind the tent flap. Jax, who was sitting on his cot, grabbed up his pillow and threw it at the shut tent flap. "Come on and open up!"

"Go away!" Jax bellowed. It was not that he disliked Reyna, she was okay, but he was still ticked at her and the Mercury kids for the whole Riptide thing. Yeah, uh- huh, everyone told him just to get over it, but they did not get it. Riptide was his only connection to a past he did not remember.

"Jax, it's an emergency! Something happened to Gwen!" Reyna said in a rather unconvincing voice.

"Yeah, right, she told me she was going canoeing," Jax said. Case and Point.

"Okay, I was lying, but this is still important," Reyna said, "Juno sent Mneme, muse of memory…"

"There is no muse of memory," Jax stated.

"Just listen! She left me two books and I think they are about you!" Reyna said excitedly. This perked Jax's interest. He stood up and walked to the tent flap. He pulled it open and let a disgruntled Reyna in.

"Thank you!" She said. She walked into the tent with a book in each arm.

"Now, why was this so important?" Jax asked. Reyna sat down on top of a suitcase and set the books on the floor beside her. She pulled a thin folded sheet of plain paper and held it out for Jax.

"Here, you better take this," she said. Jax grabbed it and unfolded it. He looked down at the words which soared before his eyes.

"I can't read this," Jax said. Reyna snatched it back from his hand.

"What, are you dyslexic?" she asked. Jax shrugged. He did not really know, but it made sense, "Okay, I'll read it.

"To the demigods of the Roman Legion, I have divined that it is time to reveal to you some of the recent events. These two books are gifts, given to you in order to help you on many problems you may be experiencing. Read in chronological order. The one with no memory can tell you which is which. Reyna Kingston, Daughter of Proserpina, it is your job to find the correct demigods to read this with. You may only have ten. Yours sincerely, Juno, goddess of marriage," Reyna said the goddess' name as if it were a curse word. Jax was not sure if he wanted to know. "Of course now she offers help. She couldn't do it when Jason disappeared…"

"It's no mystery who _the one with no memory_ is, is there?" Jax asked.

"Well, any feelings?" Reyna asked, holding up the two books.

"No, not really," Jax said, "Wait one second." He had an idea. He picked the books up out of Reyna's hands. _If they're like normal books…_ Jax thought as he opened one of the books at random. He suddenly had this strong feeling. "This is the second book," Jax said confidently.

"How do you figure?" Reyna asked. Jax shrugged.

"I just know," Jax stated.

"That's good enough for me!" Reyna said, suddenly standing up and walking towards the tent flap, "Come on! I need to find the eight other demigods."

"How are you going to know who to choose?" Jax asked. Now it was Reyna's turn to shrug.

"I'll just know," Reyna said, taking a confident step out of The Neptune tent. Jax slowly followed her out of the tent. This began Jax's next adventure, even if he could not remember his others.

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**The thing about Mneme is that she is one of the three muses mentioned by Plutarch... at least according to Wikipedia. So, since Plutarch was Roman, I decided to make them the Roman Muses. Okay so Read and Review! I hope you enjoyed this little chapter! Next chapter starts the reading!**

** eMMeD! :) 3 to all my readers!**


	3. I Go Cruising With Explosives

**A/N: Okay sorry about the late update! I really have no excuse other than life, but this is a rather long chapter. Anyone else semi-pissed over the whole Heroes of Olympus and PJO combination?**

**Everything in bold is straight out of TLO so it's not mine... It's Rick Riordan.

* * *

**

**Reyna**

It took Reyna less than ten minutes to find her ten demigods. Not the greatest of crews, but it was not like Reyna had any choice in who she chose. Every time she would get near a certain demigod, her gut would tingle, and she then invited them to the Neptune tent.

She already knew two of them, herself and Jax, but within just a small amount of time she had also invited Ryan and Kylie, the children of Mercury, Harley, daughter of Trivia, Dakota, son of Victoria, Gwen, Jax's sister, Hazel, daughter of Ceres, Marcus, one of the few undetermined left in the camp, and Joel, son of Vulcan to Jax's tent.

**Third Person POV**

"So you expect us to believe that Mneme, the muse of memory, appeared to you in a dream on the orders of the ever-lovable Juno," Marcus said. He was a skeptic.

"Bet you peed yourself," Ryan said laughingly. He juggled Gwen's small trident keychain in between his hands.

"Give me that!" Gwen demanded. For a seven-year-old, she could be scary, especially when holding her imperial gold knife, Red Tide. Ryan passed it back over.

"For the record, I did not pee myself," Reyna said defensively, though a slight blush crossed her cheeks. Ryan smirked and took that as a confirmation of what he said. "And, yes, Marcus, that's what happened, so I expect you to believe it."

Jax made an impatient noise, "Can we get to it?" He had the first book in his lap, waiting to be open.

"But what if we don't want to?" Harley asked as she cleaned her finger nails with a small knife.

"Want to what, Harley? Want to find out where Jason is?" Hazel challenged with a raised eyebrow.

"That's not…"

"Well, then, I see no reason not to start!" Hazel said.

"Anyone who thinks otherwise can leave," Kylie added. No one moved. Joel, the quietest demigod to ever exist, gave a grunt. Marcus looked disgruntled, as did Harley, but neither of them moved.

"Okay, then, Jax, start!" Reyna said, pointing at the book. Jax opened up the book and cleared his throat.

**I GO CRUISING WITH EXPLOSIVES**

"What the crap?" Ryan said. Reyna shushed him.

"What does that mean?" Kylie questioned. A pained look crossed Jax's face.

"Nothing good," he supplied. Hazel looked at Jax.

"You remember something," she said simply. Every eye turned to Jax, but he merely shook his head and continued reading.

**The end of the world began when a pegasus landed on the hood of my car.** **Technically I wasn't supposed to be driving because I wouldn't turn sixteen for another week, but my mom and step-dad, Paul, took my friend Rachel and me to this private stretch of beach on the South Shore, and Paul let us borrow his Prius for a short spin.**

Jax screwed up his face in an attempt to remember. All that came to him was a pair of grey eyes.

**Now I know what you're thinking,**

"Wow, bet this guy's a kid of Apollo," Ryan said. Jax rolled his eyes.

"I'll take that bet," Reyna said confidently. She had not found a need to tell them that she already knew this guy was Jax.

"No way!" Ryan said, scanning Reyna's features, "You know something. I'm not stupid!" He said resolutely.

"Could have fooled me," Joel said under his breath, taking everyone off guard and causing them all to laugh. All except Ryan and Jax. Jax was too busy trying to remember.

_**wow, that was really irresponsible of him, blah, blah, blah,**_**but Paul knows me pretty well. He's seen me slice up demons and leap out of exploding school buildings, so he probably figured taking a car a few hundred yards wasn't exactly the most dangerous thing I'd ever done.**

"Wonder what this kid's done," Dakota said.

**Anyway, Rachel and I were driving along. It was a hot August day. Rachel's red hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a white blouse over her swimsuit. I'd never seen her in anything but ratty T-shirts and paint-splattered jeans before, and she looked like a million golden drachmas.**

"Ooh," Ryan chorused, and Kylie took the liberty of jabbing her brother in the gut. "Ow!" he rubbed his gut gingerly, "You have bony elbows!"

Reyna leaned over to Jax and whispered, "Sounds like you may have a girlfriend." Jax shook his head.

"**Oh, pull up right there." She told me. We parked on a ridge overlooking the Atlantic. The sea is always one of my favorite places,**

"Oh, this is about one of Jax and Gwen's brothers," Dakota said.

"Do you know this kid?" Marcus asked Jax and Gwen. They both shook their heads, but Jax was trying to keep a smile off his lips.

**but today it was especially nice-glittery green and smooth as glass, as though my dad was keeping it calm just for us.**

"Hmm… he seems to know he's a demigod. I wonder why he hasn't been to camp. Unless this is ancient," Marcus reasoned.

"It can't be ancient. He's riding in a Prius," Kylie pointed out.

"Well, then," Harley said, rolling her eyes, "It's obvious who this is, isn't it?" Everyone but Jax, Reyna, and Hazel (who had already surmised as much) looked at Harley with great interest. Harley let out an exasperated breath. "Jax, guys, duh!"

There was a chorus of "OH!" Gwen slapped her brother.

"You didn't tell me!" she pouted. Jax gave an apologetic look and continued reading.

**My dad, by the way, is Poseidon.**

"Poseidon?" Everyone in the room said. Jax shushed them all as he continued reading. He did not want this conversation now about how no one used the Greek names anymore.

**He can do stuff like that.**

**"So." Rachel smiled at me. "About that invitation."**

**"Oh… right." I tried to sound excited. I mean, she'd asked me to her family's vacation house on St. Thomas for three days.**

"Ah… looks like someone is getting serious!" Hazel teased to the awe of everyone. Jax groaned. Not only could he not remember any of this, but now he was also going to get ridiculed for his thoughts.

**I didn't get a lot of offers like that. My family's idea of a fancy vacation was a weekend in a rundown cabin on Long Island with some movie rentals and a couple of frozen pizzas, and here Rachel's folks were willing to let me tag along o the Caribbean.**

"Wow, your family sounds classy!" Ryan was given a silencing glare by all the girls (nix Harley) and Jax.

**Besides, I seriously needed a vacation. This summer had been the hardest of my life.**

"Why?" Gwen asked, now scared for her brother. She gripped his arm. Jax mussed her hair comfortingly.

"I'm obviously fine," he said.

**The idea of taking a break even for a few days was really tempting.**

**Still, something big was supposed to go down any day now. I was "on call" for a mission. Even worse, next week was my birthday. There was this prophecy that said when I turned sixteen, bad things would happen.**

"Wait, sixteen?" Dakota said, "I thought Jason was the kid of the prophecy at age fifteen?" They all looked at Jax who shrugged in response. He did not have the slightest.

**"Percy," she said,**

"My name's Percy," Jax said. The name felt right on his lips.

"Why did Gwen tell us your name was Jax?" Hazel asked.

"The mist," Harley said simply. _**(A/N: I'm going to continue calling him Jax)**_

**"I know the timing is bad.****But it's**_**always**_**bad for you, right?" She had a point. "I really want to go," I promised. "It's just-"**

**"The war."**

"The Titans," Harley shuddered. She missed Lydia, even if she was such a goody-two-shoes. All the demigods except Jax and Gwen looked down sadly.

**I nodded. I didn't like talking about it, but Rachel knew. Unlike most mortals, she could see through the Mist-the magic veil that distorts human vision. She'd seen monsters. She'd met some of the other demigods who were fighting the Titans and their allies. She'd even been there last summer when the chopped-up Lord Kronos rose out of his coffin in a terrible new form, and she'd earned my permanent respect by nailing him in the eye with a blue plastic hair brush.**

"Wait to go, Rachel!" cheered Ryan to the applause of the other demigods.

"That girl's got nerve!" Dakota said.

**She put her hand on my arm.****"Just think about it, okay? We don't leave for a couple of days. My dad…"her voice faltered.**

**"Is her giving you a hard time?" I asked. **

**Rachel shook her head in disgust. "He's trying to be**_**nice**_**to me, which is almost worse. He wants me to go to Clarion Ladies Academy in the fall." **

**"The school where your mom went?"**

**"It's a stupid finishing school for society girls, all the way in New Hampshire. Can you see me in finishing school?"**

"You know, I really can't," Ryan said. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Who'd wanna go to a school like that? I bet you have to wear dresses," Gwen made a face, looking down at her own ragged jeans. Gwen was a tomboy through and through.

**I admitted the idea sounded pretty dumb.****Rachel was into urban art projects and feeding the homeless and going to protest rallies to "Save the Endangered Yellow-bellied Sapsucker" and stuff like that. I'd never even seen her wear a dress. **

"Yay, I like her!" Gwen said happily to her brother, causing Jax to smile.

**It was hard to imagine her learning to be a socialite. She sighed. "He thinks if he does a bunch of nice stuff for me, I'll feel guilty and give in."**

**"Which is why he agreed to let me come with you guys on vacation?" **

**"Yes… but Percy, you'd be doing me a huge favor. It would be**_**so**_**much better if you were with us. Besides, there's something I want to talk-"She stopped abruptly.**

**"Something you want to talk about?" I asked. "You mean… so serious we'd have to go to St. Thomas to talk about it?"**

"What could that be?" Ryan asked. He waggled his eyebrows. Gwen looked puzzled (she _was _only seven after all), but everyone else seemed to understand.

**She pursed her lips. "Look, just forget it for now. Let's pretend we're a couple of normal people.**

"I think we can all say that Jax is not normal," Ryan said. Everyone but Jax laughed. Jax groaned.

**We're out for a drive, and watching the ocean, and it's nice to be together."**** I could tell something was bothering her, but she put on a brave smile. The sunlight made her hair look like fire.**

"You know, I think you need to stop staring," Hazel said, "A girl likes a guy who appreciates her body, but just not too much. Well, unless she's a painted lady…" Reyna rolled her eyes. Leave it to Hazel to use words like '_painted lady.'_

"What's a painted lady?" asked Gwen. Harley, Ryan, and Kylie laughed.

"Jax, just keep reading," Reyna said.

**We'd spent a lot of time this summer together. I hadn't planned it that way, but the more serious things got at camp, the more I found myself needing to call up Rachel and get away,** **just for some breathing room.**

"What camp are you talking about?" Dakota asked. Jax shrugged, but those grey eyes cropped back in front of his mind's eye.

**I needed to remind myself that the mortal world was still out there, away from all the monsters using me as their personal punching bag.**

**"Okay," I said. "Just a normal afternoon and two normal people."**

**She nodded. "And so… hypothetically, if these two people liked each other, what would it take to get the stupid guy to kiss the girl, huh?**

"Ooh!" Ryan said goofily. Reyna hoped she was not the only one who was imagining Ryan with large front teeth and a weird green hat.

Gwen looked quite disgusted at the idea of people kissing.

**"Oh. . ." I felt like one of Apollo's sacred cows-slow, dumb, and bright read.**

Everyone laughed hard at this. "You should be glad none of Apollo's kids are here," Reyna said through giggles.

"Yeah, they'd've sent an arrow through your head by now," Hazel said, laughing also.

"Two things: 1) maybe I'm a kid of Apollo and should take offense to that, and 2) I don't think you could send an arrow through Jax's head," Marcus said.

"True, but I don't think you're a kid of Apollo," Harley said, and then added with a smirk, "I've seen your aim."

**"Um. . ."**

**I can't pretend I hadn't thought about Rachel. She was so much easier to be around than ... well, some other girls I knew. I didn't have to work hard, or watch what I said, or rack my brain trying to figure out what she was thinking. Rachel didn't hide much. She let you know how she felt.**

"A straight forward girl, those are the best," Dakota said, looking over to Hazel, who blushed slightly.

"What's going on?" Reyna asked. Hazel shook her head.

"Nothing," she lied unconvincingly. Jax restarted reading

**I'm not sure what I would have done next-but I was so distracted, I didn't notice the huge black form swooping down from the sky until four hooves landed in the hood of the Prius with a WUMP-WUMP-CRUNCH!**

"So that's the Pegasus," Kylie said intrigued.

_**Hey, boss,**_**said a voice in my head.**_**Nice car!**_

"You can talk to horses?" Dakota asked the sea god's kids. Jax nodded.

"Yeah, I love talking to ponies," Gwen said in a way that made her sound almost like a normal little kid, not a demigod who had successfully sent two Cyclopean foster parents to Tartarus.

**Blackjack the Pegasus was an old friend of mine, so I tried not to get too annoyed by the craters he'd just put in my hood;**

"Oh gods, your stepdad is gonna kill you!" Dakota said, thinking of what his dad would do.

"Well he obviously didn't," Jax said.

**But I didn't think my stepdad Paul would be real stoked.**

**"Blackjack," I sighed. "What are you-?"**

**Then I saw who was riding on his back, and I knew my day was about to get way more complicated.**

**"'Sup Percy."**

**Charles Beckendorf, senior counselor for the Hephaestus cabin would make monsters cry for their mommies.**

"Hephaestus is the Greek name for Vulcan, right?" Joel asked, speaking up for the first time in a while. Jax nodded, "So is he like my 1/3rd brother?" No one had an answer.

**He was huge, with ripped muscles from working on the forges every summer, two years older than me, and one of the camps best armorsmiths. He made some seriously ingenious stuff. A month before, he'd rigged a Greek firebomb in the bathroom of a tour bus that was carrying a bunch of monsters across the country. The explosion took out a whole legion of Kronos's evil meanies as soon as the first harpy went**_**flush.**_

"Wow," Harley said to Joel, "Your brother is wicked!" Jax suddenly had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

**Beckendorf was dressed for combat. He wore a bronze breastplate and a war helm with black camo pants and a sword strapped to his side. His explosives bag was slung over his shoulder.**

**"Time?" I asked.**

**He nodded grimly.**

**A clump formed in my throat. I'd known this was coming. We'd been planning for it for weeks, but I'd half hoped it would never happen.**

"What would never happen?" Ryan asked exasperatedly.

"Oh, look, Ryan's ADHD is getting the better of him," Kylie joked. Ryan crossed his arms in a huff.

"Just keep reading, Jax" he said.

**Rachel looked up at Beckendorf. "Hi."**

"**Oh, hey. I'm Beckendorf. You must be Rachel. Percy's told me… uh, I mean he mentioned you."**

"Wow, your brother is tactless," joked Harley.

**Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Really? Good." She glanced at Blackjack, who was clopping his hooves against the hood of the Prius. "So I guess you guys have to go save the world now."**

"Doesn't look like Rachel minded," Joel mumbled.

"**Pretty much." Beckendorf agreed.**

**I looked at Rachel helplessly. "Would you tell my mom –?"**

"**I'll tell her. I'm sure she's used to it.**

"Yeah, probably," Kylie said, thinking about her own mom. Jax sighed, wondering if his mom was worried out of her mind.

**And I'll explain to Paul about the hood."**

**I nodded my thanks. I figured this might be the last time Paul loaned me his car.**

"Well, yeah, Jax, that's a high likelihood!" Ryan joked. Jax looked down sadly. It sounded like he had an awesome family, but he could not remember any of them.

"**Good luck." Rachel kissed me before I could even react.**

Dakota and Ryan wolf whistled, Jax felt his cheeks burn, and Gwen made another disgusted face.

**"Now get going half-blood. Go kill some monsters for me."**

**My last view of her was sitting in the shotgun seat of the Prius, arms crossed, watching as Blackjack circled higher and higher, carrying Beckendorf and me into the sky. I wondered what she wanted to talk to me about, and whether or not I would live long enough to find out.**

"**So," Beckendorf said, "I'm guessing you don't want me to mention that little scene to Annabeth?"**

"So maybe your brother isn't so tactless," Kylie said. Joel shrugged.

"Who's Annabeth?" Dakota asked Jax with a sly grin. Jax shrugged, but he had an unmistakable feeling that this was the girl with the grey eyes.

"**Oh gods," I muttered. "Don't even think about it."** **Beckendorf chuckled, and together we soared over the Atlantic.**

"Wow, that sounds gay," Ryan observed.

"At least I did not say the shimmering Atlantic," Jax said defensively.

"If you'd done that, I would have scooted far away," Marcus said. He was sitting on the ground in front of Jax's feet.

**It was almost dark by the time we spotted our target. The**_**Princess Andromeda**_

"Isn't that the Titan ship?" Reyna asked, and everyone nodded.

**glowed on the horizon – a huge cruise ship light up yellow and white. From a distance, you'd think it was just a party ship, not the headquarters for the Titan lord. Then as you got closer, you might notice the giant figurehead – a dark-haired maiden in a Greek chiton, wrapped in chains with a look of horror on her face, as if she could smell the stench of all the monsters she was being forced to carry.**

"Yeah, and any Faun'll tell you that they smell revolting!" Marcus said, grabbing his nose for effect. Harley looked at him with amusement.

"Hey maybe you're a son of Bacchus!" she said. Marcus made a face that caused everyone else to laugh.

"You kind of have the purplish tint in your hair," Kylie observed through laughs. Marcus crossed his arms.

"How does that work with blonde hair?" he muttered.

**Seeing the ship again twisted my gut into knots. I'd almost died twice on the**_**Princess Andromeda**_**. Now it was heading straight for New York.**

"**You know what to do?" Beckendorf yelled over the wind.**

**I nodded. We'd done dry runs at the dockyards in New Jersey, using abandoned ships as our targets.**

"Wonder how the owner's felt about that!" Ryan said. Kylie slapped him on the back of the head.

"They just said they were abandoned, Idiot," she said when Ryan gave her a questioning look.

**I knew how little time we would have. But I also knew this was our best chance to end Kronos's invasion before it ever started.**

"**Blackjack," I said, "set us down on the lowest stern point.**

_**Gotcha, boss,**_**he said.**_**Man, I hate seeing that boat.**_

**Three years ago, Blackjack had been enslaved on the**_**Princess Andromeda**_**until he'd escaped with a little help from my friends and me. I figured he'd rather have his man braided like My Little Pony then be back there again.**

"Wow that must have been bad!" Dakota said.

"**Don't wait for us," I told him.**

_**But boss –**_

"**Trust me," I said. "We'll get out by ourselves."**

**Blackjack folded his wings and plummeted toward the boat like a black comet. The wind whistled in my ears. I saw monsters patrolling the upper decks on the ship –**_**dracaena,**_**snake- women, hellhounds, giants and the humanoid sea-demons known as telkhines – but we zipped by so fast, none of them raised the alarm. We shot down the stern of the boat; Blackjack folded his wings, lightly coming to a landing on the lowest deck. I climbed off, feeling queasy.**

_**Good luck, boss,**_**Blackjack said.**_**Don't let 'em turn you into horse meat!**_

"No, not horse meat, maybe people meat," Ryan said. Everyone gave him a glare that said, '_Not the time!'_

**With that, my old friend flew off into the night. I took my pen out of my pocket and uncapped it; Riptide sprang to full size – three feet of deadly Celestial bronze glowing in the dusk.**

**Beckendorf pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. I thought it was a map or something. Then I realized it was a photograph. He stared at it in the dim light – the smiling face of Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite.**

"Ooh, I bet she's hot!"

"Shut up, Ryan!" everyone yelled at him.

**They'd started going out last summer, after years of the rest of us saying "Duh, you guys like each other!" Even with all the dangerous missions Beckendorf had been happier this summer then I had ever seen him.**

"**We'll make it back to camp." I promised.**

Jax tensed. He had a bad feeling.

**For a second I say worry in his eyes. Then he put on his old confident smile.**

"**You bet," He said. "Let's blow Kronos back into a million pieces."**

**Beckendorf led the way. We followed a narrow corridor to the service stairwell, just like we practiced, but we froze when we heard noises above us.**

"**I don't care what your nose says!" snarled a half-human, half-dog voice – a telkhine. "The last time you smelled half-blood, it was a meatloaf sandwich!"**

"**Meatloaf sandwiches are good!" a second voice snarled. "But this is half-blood, I swear. They are on board!"**

"**Bah, your**_**brain**_**isn't on board."**

"It's always helpful when one doesn't have a nose!" Hazel said. Everyone nodded.

"Hey, why can she talk?" Ryan asked.

"Shut up, Ryan," Reyna said.

**They continued to argue and Beckendorf pointed downstairs. We descended as quietly as we could. Two floors down, the voices of the telkhines began to fade.**

**Finally we came to a metal hatch. Beckendorf mouthed the words "engine room".**

**It was locked, but as Beckendorf pulled some chains cutters out of his bag and split the bolt like it was made of butter.**

**Inside, a row of yellow turbines the size of grain silos churned and hummed. Pressure gauges and computer terminals lined the opposite wall. A telkhine was hunched over a console, but he was so involved with his work, he didn't notice us. He was about five feet tall, with slick black seal fur and stubby little feet. He had the head of a Doberman, but his clawed hands were almost human. He growled and muttered as he tapped on his keyboard. Maybe he was messaging his friends on.**

**I stepped forward, and he tensed, probably smelling something was wrong. He leaped sideways towards a big red alarm button, but I blocked his path. He hissed and lunged at me, but one slice of Riptide, and he exploded into dust.**

"**One down," Beckendorf said. "About five thousand to go."**

**He tossed me a jar of thick green liquid – Greek fire, one of the most dangerous magical substances in the world. Then he threw me another essential tool to demigod heroes – duct tape.**

"You are really going to blow it up!" Dakota and Marcus said together.

"Impressive," Joel muttered. Jax did not feel very impressive.

"**Slap that one of the console," he said. "I'll get the turbines."**

**We went to work, the room was hot and humid, and in no time we were drenched in sweat.**

**The boat kept chugging along. Being the son of Poseidon and all, I have a perfect bearing at sea. Don't ask me how, but I could tell we were at 40.19 degrees north, 71.90 degrees west, making eighteen knots, which would arrive in New York Harbor by dawn. This would be our only chance to stop it.**

**I had just attached a second jar of Greek fire to the control panels when I heard pounding feet on metal steps – so many creatures coming down the stairwell I could hear them over the engines. Not a good sign. I locked eyes with Beckendorf, "How much longer?"**

"**Too long." He tapped his watch, which was our remote control detonator. "I still have to wire the receiver and prime the charges. Ten more minutes at least."**

**Judging from the sounds of footsteps, we had about ten seconds.**

"**I'll distract them." I said. "Meet you at the rendezvous point."**

"No, don't separate!" half the tent yelled at Jax.

"Sorry, this has already happened," Jax shrugged. A knot was building in my chest.

"**Percy –"**

"**Wish me luck."**

**He looked like he wanted to argue.**

**The whole idea had been to get in and get out without being spotted. But we had to improvise.**

"**Good luck." He said.**

**I charged out the door.**

"No, Jax!" Everyone yelled. Gwen slapped Jax.

"Sorry," he said, rubbing his arm. It did not really hurt, but Gwen liked thinking she could hurt her big brother, and Jax did not really care.

**A half dozen telkhines were tromping down the stairs. T cut through them with Riptide faster than they could yelp. I kept climbing – past another telkhine, who was so startled he dropped his Lil' Demons lunch box. I kept him alive – partly because his lunch box was cool,**

"Nice, Jax," Harley said, rolling her obsidian eyes.

**partly so he could raise the alarm and hopefully get his friends to follow me rather than head towards the engine room.**

**I burst through a door onto deck six and kept running. I'm sure the carpeted hall was once been very plush, but over the last three years of monster occupation the wallpaper, carpet, and stateroom doors had been clawed up and slimed so it looked like the inside of a dragon's throat (and yes, unfortunately, I speak from experience.)**

**Back on my first visit to the**_**Princess Andromeda,**_**my old enemy Luke****had kept some dazed tourists on board for show, shrouded in Mist so they didn't realize they were on a monster-infested ship. I hated to think of what had happened to them, but I kind of doubted they'd be allowed to go home with their bingo winnings.**

"They killed them?" Gwen asked, sadly. Jax put an arm around his sister.

**I reached the promenade, a big shopping mall that took up the whole middle of the ship, and I stopped cold. In the middle of the courtyard stood a fountain. And in the fountain squatted a giant crab.**

**I'm not talking "giant" like $7.99 all-you-can-eat-Alaskan king crab. I'm talking**_**giant**_**like bigger than the fountain. The monster rose ten feet out of the water. Its shell was mottled blue and green, and its pincers larger than my body.**

**If you've ever seen a crab's mouth, all foamy and gross with whiskers and snapping bits, you can imagine this one didn't look any better blown up to billboard size. Its beady black eyes glared at me, and I could see intelligence in them – and hate. The fact that I was the son of the sea god was not going to win me any points with Mr. Crabby.**

"**FFFfffff," it hissed, sea foam dripping from its mouth. The smell coming off him was like garbage can full of fish sticks that had been sitting in the sun all week.**

"Ewww!" Ron said, grabbing his nose.

**Alarms blared. Soon I was going to have lots of company and I had to keep moving.**

"**Hey, crabby." I inched around the edge of the courtyard. "I'm just gonna scoot around you so–"**

"Yeah, right, like the crab'll let that happen," Dakota said, giving Jax an incredulous look.

**The crab moved with amazing speed. It scuttled out of the fountain and came straight at me, pincers snapping. I dove into a gift shop, plowing through a rack of t-shirts. A crab pincer smashed the glass walls to pieces and raked across the room. I dashed back outside, breathing heavily, but Mr. Crabby turned and followed.**

"**There!" a voice said from a balcony above me. "Intruder!"**

"Oh, crap!" the whole tent said.

**If I'd wanted to create a distraction, I'd succeeded, but this was not where I wanted to fight. If I got pinned down in the center of the ship, I was crab chow.**

**The demonic crustacean lunged at me. I sliced with Riptide, taking off the tip of its claw. It hissed and foamed, but didn't seem very hurt.**

**I tried to remember anything from the old stories that might help with this thing. Annabeth had told me about a monster crab – something about Hercules crushing it under his foot? That wasn't going to work here. This crab was slightly bigger than my Reeboks.**

"Isn't the Greek name for Hercules Heracles?" Harley asked. Everyone looked at her in shock. "What? I'm not just a pretty face." No one replied.

**To our cabin at Montauk, where we'd been going forever. Paul had taken me crabbing, and when he'd brought up a net full of things he'd shown me how crabs have a chink in their armor, right in the middle of their ugly bellies.**

**The only problem was getting to the ugly belly.**

**I glanced at the fountain, then at the marble floor, already slick from scuttling crab tracks.**

"Smart… especially for a kelp head," Kylie said. Both Jax and Gwen gave her affronted looks.

"Kelp head?" Jax asked with a raised eyebrow. Something about that sounded familiar.

**I held out my hand, concentrating on the water, and the fountain exploded. Water sprayed everywhere, three stories high, dousing the balconies and the elevators and the windows of the shops. The crab didn't care. It loved water. It came at me sideways, snapping and hissing, and I ran straight at it, screaming. "AHHHHHHH!"**

**Just before we collided, I hit the ground baseball-style and slide on the wet marble floor straight under the creature. It was like sliding under a seven ton vehicle. All the crab had to was sit and squash me, but before it realized what was going on, I jabbed Riptide into the chink in its armor, let go of the hilt, and pushed myself out backside.**

"Wait to go, Jax!" Ryan yelled. The whole cabin began to cheer.

**The monster shuddered and hissed. Its eyes dissolved. Its shell turned bright red and its insides evaporated. The empty shell clattered to the floor in a massive heap.**

**I didn't have time to admire my handiwork. I ran for the nearest stairs while all around me monsters and demigods shouted orders and strapped on their weapons. I was empty-handed. Riptide, being magical, would appear in my pocket sooner or later, but for not it was stuck somewhere under the wreckage of the crab, and I had no time to retrieve it.**

"Why would you do that?" Joel asked incredulously.

"Riptide always comes back," Jax said.

"As long as you have pockets," Ryan laughed. Jax gave him a withering glare.

**In the elevator foyer of deck eight, a couple of**_**dracaena**_**slithered across my path. From the waist up, they were woman with green scaly skin, yellow eyes, and forked tongues. From the waist down, they had double snake trunks instead of legs. They held spears and weighted nets, and I knew from experience they could use them.**

"**What isss thisss?" one said. "A prize for Kronosss?"**

**I wasn't in the mood to play break-the-snakes, but in front of me was a stand with a model of the ship, like a "you are here display." I ripped the model off the pedestal and hurled it at the first**_**dracaena.**_**The boat smacked her in the face and she went down with the ship. I jumped over her, grabbed her friend's spear, and swung it around. She slammed into the elevator, and I kept running toward the front of the ship.**

"**Get him!" she screamed.**

**Hellhounds bayed. An arrow somewhere whizzed past my face and impaled itself in the mahogany-paneled wall of the stairwell.**

**I didn't care – as long as I go the monsters away from the engine room and gave Beckendorf more time.**

**As I was running up the stairwell, a kid charged down. He looked like he'd just woken up from a nap. His armor was half on. He drew his sword and yelled, "Kronos!" but he sounded more scared than angry. He couldn't have been more than twelve – about the same age I was when I'd first arrived at Camp Half-Blood.**

"Camp Half-Blood? What's that?" asked everyone asked.

"Oh, gods stop asking me. I don't know," Jax said. When no one replied, Jax started reading again.

**That thought depressed me. This kid was getting brainwashed – trained to hate the gods and lash out because he'd been born half Olympian. Kronos was using him, and yet the kid thought I was his enemy.**

**No way was I going to hurt him. I didn't need a weapon for this. I stepped inside his strike and grabbed his wrist, slamming it against the wall. His sword clattered out of his hand.**

**Then I did something I hadn't planned on. It was probably stupid. It definitely jeopardized our mission, but I couldn't help it. "If you want to live," I told him, "get off this ship**_**now.**_**Tell the other demigods." Then I shoved him down the stairs and sent him tumbling to the next floor.**

"You realize that you might as well have just told Kronos that you are here to blowup his minions," Harley said, rolling her eyes.

"He's been brainwashed! What would you have done?" Jax asked defensively.

"Killed him," Harley said.

"He's twelve!" Jax yells.

"He made his choice," Harley retorted.

"What if we had just killed you on sight because you 'made your choice'?" Dakota countered. Harley whitened.

"She was on Kronos' side?" Jax asked.

"Yeah, and so was my mom," Harley alibied, "I came back before the battle on Mount Othrys."

"Just keep reading, Jax," Reyna said. She did not want to talk about the war anymore.

**I kept climbing.**

**Bad memories: a hallway ran past the cafeteria. Annabeth, my half-brother Tyson, and I had sneaked through here three years ago on my first visit.**

"There's that Annabeth girl again," Dakota said.

"Ooh, looks like someone might have a crush!" Ryan said. Hazel looked slightly murderous and stood up.

"Don't worry," Kylie said to Hazel, "I've got this." She smacked her brother's head again.

"Jax, do you remember Tyson?" Gwen asked him. Jax held back the desire to roll his eyes.

"No, Gwen, I don't, but it looks like we have another brother," he said.

"Correction," Hazel said, "Tyson may be the son of your mom."

"I doubt it," Jax said, and he continued reading.

**I burst outside the main deck. Off the port bow, the sky was darkening from purple to black. A swimming pool glowed between two glass towers with more balconies and restaurant decks. The whole upper ship seemed eerily deserted.**

**All I had to do was cross the other side. Then I could take the staircase down to the helipad – our emergency rendezvous point. With any luck, Beckendorf would meet me there. We'd jump into the sea. My water powers would protect us both, and we'd detonate the charges a quarter of a mile away.**

**I was halfway across the deck when the sound of a voice made me freeze. "Your late, Percy."**

**Luke stood on the balcony above me, a smile on his scarred face. He wore jeans, a white T-shirt, and flip-flops, like he was just a normal college-age guy, but his eyes told the truth. They were solid gold.**

"He's hosting Kronos!" Joel said suddenly, surprising everyone.

"I doubt that," Marcus said.

"I agree with Marcus," Dakota said.

"Do you two wanna put your money where your mouth is," Joel asked, "two_** ….. **_a piece to the winner?"

"You are on," Marcus said. Dakota felt a strange cold run down his spine, but he pushed it aside and firmly nodded his consent.

"**We've been expecting you for days." At first he sounded normal, like Luke. But then his face twitched. A shudder passed through his body as though he'd just drunk something really nasty. His voice became heavier, ancient, and powerful – the voice of the Titan lord Kronos. **

"Pay up," Joel said, rubbing his fingers together.

"No way!" Dakota said suddenly, as a son of Victoria, losing was just not an option.

"Come on, Dak. Joel won," Hazel said in a soothing/ amused voice.

"No way, Kronos is probably just using this Luke kid as an aerial," Dakota said in an unconvincing voice, "yeah… an aerial." Jax continued reading before things could get ugly.

**The words scrapped down my spine like a knife blade. "Come, bow before me."**

"**Yeah, that'll happen," I muttered.**

**Laistrygonian giants filed in on either side of the swimming pool as if they'd been waiting for the cue. Each was eight feet tall with tattooed arms, leather armor, and spiked clubs. Demigod archers appeared on the roof above Luke. Two hellhounds leaped down from the opposite balcony and snarled at me. Within seconds I was surrounded. A trap: there's no way they could've gotten into position so fast unless they'd known I was coming.**

"Oh no," Gwen said with a tiny shiver. Everyone else seemed frozen in terror.

**I looked up at Luke, and anger boiled inside me. I didn't know if Luke's consciousness was even alive inside that body. Maybe, the way his voice had changed… or maybe it was just Kronos adapting to his new form.**

Marcus and Dakota both silently fished in their pockets for Joel's money. They were both listening to intently to Jax to argue.

**I told myself it didn't matter. Luke had been twisted and evil long before Kronos possessed him.**

**A new voice in my head said:**_**I have to fight him eventually. Why not now?**_

**According to that big prophecy, I was supposed to make a choice that saved or destroyed the world when I was sixteen. That was only seven days away. Why not now? If I really had the power, what difference would a week make? I could end this threat right here by taking down Kronos. Hey, I'd fought monsters and gods before.**

"What's the difference?" Harley asked incredulously, "You won't be the hero until you turn sixteen. Right now you're vulnerable."

**As if reading my thoughts, Luke smiled. No, he was**_**Kronos.**_**I had to remember that.**

"**Come forward," he said. "If you dare."**

**The crowd of monsters parted. I moved up the stairs, my heart pounding. I was sure somebody would stab me in the back, but they let me pass. I felt my pocket and found my pen waiting. I uncapped it, and Riptide grew into a sword.**

**Kronos's weapon appeared in his hands – a six-foot-long scythe, half Celestial bronze, half mortal steal. Just looking at the thing made my knees turn to Jell-O. But before I could change my mind, I charged.**

"Brilliant, Jax! You should definitely charge the Lord of Time!" Harley said.

**Time slowed down. I mean**_**literally**_**slowed down, because Kronos had that power.**

"Great deduction, Sherlock," Harley said rolling her eyes.

"Shut it or leave, Harley," Reyna said. Harley quieted.

**I felt like I was moving through syrup. My arms were so heavy; I could barely raise my sword. Kronos smiled, swirling his scythe at normal speed and waiting for me to creep toward my death.**

**I tried to fight his magic. I concentrated on the sea around me – the source of my power. I'd gotten better at channeling it over the years, but now nothing seemed to happen.**

**I took another slow step forward. Giants jeered.**_**Dracaena**_**hissed with laughter.**

_**Hey, ocean,**_**I pleaded.**_**Any day now would be good.**_

Ryan laughed. "You talk to the ocean."

"You've never talked to your source of power?" Jax asked.

"No, I'm not supposed to talk to thieves and bandits," Ryan said. Jax decided to simply continue reading as everyone else groaned at Ryan.

**Suddenly there was a wrenching pain in my gut. The entire boat lurched sideways, throwing monsters off their feet. Four thousand gallons of salt water surged out of the swimming pool, dousing me and Kronos and everyone on the dock. The water revitalized me, breaking the time spell, and I lunged forward.**

"Nice!" Dakota said, holding out a fist for Jax, who just kept reading.

**I struck at Kronos, but I was still too slow. I made the mistake at looking at his face -**_**Luke's face –**_**a guy who was once my friend. As much as I hated him, it was hard to kill him.**

"Just kill him!" Harley said viciously.

**Kronos had no such hesitation. He sliced downward with his scythe. I leaped back and the evil blade missed by an inch, cutting in the deck right between my feet.**

**I kicked Kronos in the chest. He stumbled backward, but he was heavier than Luke should've been. It was like kicking a refrigerator.**

"I wonder what that feels like," Ryan said.

"Why don't you go find out for us," Reyna said as Jax rubbed his foot. He could almost remember how that felt.

**Kronos swung his scythe again. I intercepted with Riptide, but his strike was so powerful, my blade could only reflect it. The edge of the scythe shaved off my shirtsleeve and grazed my arm. It shouldn't have been a serious cut, but the entire side of my body exploded with pain. I remembered what a sea demon had once said about Kronos's scythe:**_**Careful, fool. One touch and that blade will sever your soul from your body.**_**Now I understood what he meant.**

**I wasn't just losing blood; I could feel my strength, my will, my identity draining away.**

Jax visibly shuddered. He knew exactly what it felt like to lose that.

**I stumbled backward, switched my sword to my left hand, and lunged desperately. My blade should've run him through, but it deflected off his stomach like I was hitting solid marble. There was no way he should've survived that.**

"Achilles' curse," Jax said quietly.

**Kronos laughed. "A poor performance, Percy Jackson. Luke tells me you were never his match at swordplay."**

"Wow, Luke must've been good," Dakota said, thinking about how evenly matched he and Jax were

**My vision started to blur. I knew it didn't have much time. "Luke had a big head," I said. "But at least it was**_**his**_**head."**

"Yeah," agreed Gwen.

"**A shame to kill you now," Kronos mused, "before the final plan unfolds. I would love to see the terror in your eyes when you realize how I will destroy Olympus."**

"**You'll never get this boat to Manhattan." My arm was throbbing. Black spots danced in my vision.**

"**And why would that be?" Kronos's golden eyes glittered. His face – Luke's face – seemed like a mask, unnatural and lit from behind by some evil power. "Perhaps you are counting on your friend with the explosives?"**

**He looked down at the pool and called, "Nakamura!"**

**A teenage guy in full Greek armor pushed through the crows. His left eye was covered with a black patch. I knew him, of course: Ethan Nakamura, the son of Nemesis. I'd saved his life in the Labyrinth last summer, and in return, the little punk had helped Kronos come back to life.**

"Jerk," muttered the tent.

"**Success, my lord," Ethan called. "We found him just as we were told."**

**He clapped his hands, and two giants lumbered forward, dragging Charles Beckendorf between the, my heart almost stopped. Beckendorf had a swollen eye and cuts all over his face and arms. His armor was gone and his shirt was nearly torn off.**

"**No!" I yelled.**

The yell was echoed through the tent.

**Beckendorf met my eyes. He glanced at his hand like he was trying to tell me something.**_**His watch.**_**They hadn't taken it yet, and that was the detonator. Was it possible the explosives where still armed? Surely the monsters would've dismantled them right away.**

"Well, they're monsters, not exactly bright creatures," Dakota said.

"**We found him amidships," one of the giants said, "trying to sneak to the engine room. Can we eat him now?"**

"**Soon." Kronos scowled at Ethan. "Are you sure he didn't set the explosives?"**

"**He was going**_**toward**_**the engine room, my lord."**

"Smart move," Joel said, but he suddenly felt scared for his brother's life.

"**How do you know that?"**

"**Err…" Ethan shifted uncomfortably. "He was heading in that direction. And he told us. His bag is still full of explosives."**

"How does that work?" Hazel asked, wonderingly.

**Slowly, I began to understand. Beckendorf had fooled them. When he'd realized he was going to be captured, he turned to make it look like he was going the other way. He'd convinced them he hadn't made it to the engine room yet. The Greek fire might still be primed! But that didn't do us any good unless we could get off the ship and detonate it.**

**Kronos hesitated.**

_**Buy the story,**_**I prayed. The pain in my arm was so bad now I could barely stand.**

Jax's arm was hurting now.

"**Open his bag," Kronos ordered.**

**One of the giants ripped the explosives satchel from Beckendorf's shoulders. He peered inside, grunted, and turned it upside down. Panicked monsters surged backward. If the bag really had been full of Greek fire jars, we would've all blown up. But what fell out were a dozen cans of peaches.**

"Alright, Beckendorf!" everyone but Jax and Joel yelled out. Both of them suddenly realized what was coming. Jax tried to keep the dread out of his voice. He hoped he was wrong.

**I could hear Kronos breathing, trying to control his anger.**

"**Did you, perhaps," he said. "Capture this demigod near the galley?"**

**Ethan turned pale. "Um –"**

"**And did you, perhaps, send someone to actually CHECK THE ENGINE ROOM?"**

**Ethan scrambled back in terror then turned on his heels and ran.**

**I cursed silently. Now we had only minutes before the bombs were disarmed. I caught Beckendorf's eyes again and asked a silent question, hoping he would understand:**_**How long?**_

**He cupped his fingers and thumb, making a circle.**_**Zero.**_

**There was no delay on the timer at all. If he managed to press the detonator button, the ship would blow at once. We'd never be able to get far enough away before using it. The monsters would kill us first, or disarm the explosives, or both.**

Hazel gasped suddenly, realizing. Everyone else turned to stare at her. "Uh, I thought I saw a rat," Hazel invented. Jax saved her from further questioning by continuing to read.

**Kronos turned towards me with a crooked smile. "You'll have to excuse my incompetent help, Percy Jackson. But it doesn't matter. We have you now. We've known you were coming for weeks."**

**He held out his hand and dangled a little sliver bracelet with a scythe charm – the Titan lord's symbol.**

**The wound in my arm was sapping my ability to think.**

**I muttered, "Communication device... spy at camp."**

"Oh crap!" every person in the tent said.

**Kronos chuckled. "You can't count on your friends. They will always let you down. Luke learned that lesson the hard way,****Now drop your sword and surrender to me, or your friend dies."**

Everyone was now on the edges of their seats.

**I swallowed. One of the giants had his hand around Beckendorf's neck. I was in no shape to rescue him, and even if I tried, he would die before I got there. We both would.**

**Beckendorf mouthed one word:**_**Go.**_

**I shook my head. I couldn't just leave him.**

**The second giant was still rummaging through the peach cans, which meant Beckendorf's left arm was free. He raised it slowly – toward the watch on his wrist.**

**I wanted to scream,**_**NO!**_

Joel buried his hands in his face. It was the inevitable. Joel may have never met Beckendorf, but he was Joel's brother and sounded like an awesome guy. Kyla got up from where she was sitting and went over to comfort the guy.

As Reyna saw this, a small smile brushed her lips. Kyla was great at cheering anyone up.

**Then down at the swimming pool, one of the**_**dracaena**_**hissed, "What isss he doing? What isss that on hisss wrissst?"**

**Beckendorf closed eyes tight and brought down his hand up to his watch.**

A sharp intake of breath sounded through the tent, and Gwen buried her face in Jax's side. Jax put a comforting arm around his little sister.

**I had no choice. I threw my sword like a javelin at Kronos. It bounced harmlessly off his chest, but it did startle him. I pushed through the crowd of monsters and jumped off the side of the ship – toward the water a hundred feet below.**

Harley held back the desire to say '_and you went SPLAT!'_ but now was not the time.

**I heard rumbling deep in the ship. Monsters yelled at me from above. A spear sailed past my ear. An arrow pierce my thigh, but I barely had time to register the pain. I plunged into the sea and willed the currents to take me far, far away – a hundred yards, two hundred yards.**

**Even from a distance, the explosion shook the world. Heat seared the back of my head. The**_**Princess Andromeda**_**blew up from both sides, massive fireball of green flame roiling into the dark sky, consuming everything.**

**Beckendorf, I thought,**

**Then I blacked out and sank like an anchor toward the bottom of the sea.**

Jax sat down the book, and silence fell in the room. Reyna was the one to speak up first. "We need to continue," she said softly. Jax nodded slowly as he picked up the book and tossed it to Reyna. "Okay, well I guess I'm reading next."

"Before we read, maybe we should talk about what just happened," Hazel said.

"Nah," all the guys and Harley said. Hazel looked slightly hurt.

"We'll talk after next chapter," Kyla assured Hazel.

"Well if that's settled…" Reyna said as she turned to the next chapter.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this questions. Please R&R.**

**PS: Trivia is Roman for Hecate and Victoria is Roman for Nike (goddess of victory). Oh, yeah, Proserpina (if you haven't guessed or I haven't already said so) is Roman for Persephone. **

**Hey, so do you all have any guesses on who's Marcus' dad. Guess away and the one who guesses right will receive a virtual flower in the chapter that I disclose the answer in!**

**eMMeD :)**


	4. I Meet Some Fishy Relatives

**A/N: Hey here is a quick update! Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:Don't own it or anything else I mention

* * *

**

**Chapter Two: I Meet Some Fishy Relatives.**

"WOW!" Gwen said brightly. Jax knew how much Gwen would enjoy hearing about relatives. Something about being a foster home kid since the age of two made Gwen always thirsty for real family.

**Demigod dreams suck.**

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Ryan laughed, but even his laugh turned to a groan. His mind went straight to his first demigod dream. Never a pleseant thought.

**The thing is they're never just **_**dreams.**_** They've got to be visions, omens, and all that other mystical stuff that makes my brain hurt.**

"Wow, I didn't think you ever got hurt anywhere," Kylie said. Ryan shook his head at his sister. He was never able to pass up an opportunity to heckle her.

"Last chapter he was nearly killed by a scratch. He's not exactly the invincible Jax we all know," Ryan said. Jax glared at him, and Reyna decided it would be best to simply read.

**I dreamed I was in a dark palace at the top of a mountain. Unfortunately, I recognized it: the palace of the Titans on top of Mount Othrys, otherwise known as Mount Tamalpais, in California.**

Everyone but Gwen shook as they thought about times they had fought there. Jax did not exactly remember his fights there, but he had this horrible eerie feeling.

**The main pavilion was open to the night, ringed with black Greek columns and statues of the Titans. Torchlight glowed against the black marble floor. In the center of the room, an armored giant struggled under the weight of a swirling funnel cloud – Atlas, holding up the sky.**

"Ugh," Reyna said, "too bad he can still move one foot." She thought of Gabriel, son of Apollo, who was kicked off of Mount Othrys during the battle.

**Two other giant men stood nearby over a bronze brazier, studying images in the flames.**

**"Quite an explosion," one said. He wore black armor studded with sliver dots like a starry night. His face was covered in a war helm with a ram's horn curling on either side.**

"Stupid Krios," mumbled Ryan. He was not the only one mumbling, but everyone else's were not nearly as kind.

**"It doesn't matter," the other said. This Titan was dressed in gold robes, with golden eyes like Kronos. His entire body glowed. He reminded me of Apollo, God of the Sun, except the Titan's light was harsher, and his expression crueler. **

"**The gods have answered the challenge. Soon they will be destroyed."**

"Yeah right, you bas..." Dakota could not finish his sentence because Hazel had clamped a hand around Dakota's mouth.

"Little ears, Dak," Hazel said, motioning towards Gwen. Dakota nodded, and Hazel removed her hand.

"What was he gonna say?" Gwen asked.

"Basket case, Gwen, that was all," Jax assured his little sister. Gwen rolled her eyes and silently wished she were older.

**The images in the fire were hard to make out: storms, buildings crumbling, mortals screaming in terror.**

**"I will go east to marshal our forces," the golden Titan said. "Krios, you shall remain and guard Mount Othrys."**

**The ram horn dude grunted. **

"Hmm...isn't that what Jason called Krios when we first faced him?" Kylie asked Reyna.

"Yep... Krios' face was priceless," Reyna said, laughing slightly. Inside she was waiting for Jason to show up in the book. Hopefully it was in this one.

**"I always get the stupid jobs. Lord of the South. Lord of Constellations. Now I get to babysit Atlas while **_**you **_**have all the fun."**

"Don't worry, Krios, you'll get plenty of action soon enough," Ryan assured the book in a baby voice.

"Yeah, and then you'll get owned by a few teenagers," Kylie added.

"Well, by one in general," Reyna said.

**Under the whirlwind of Clouds, Atlas bellowed in agony. "Let me out, curse you! I am your greatest warrior. Take my burden so I may fight!"**

"I wonder what would have happened if they let him out and had Krios hold up the sky," Hazel thought aloud.

"It would not have been good," Marcus pointed out the obvious.

**"Quiet!" the golden Titan roared. "You had your chance, Atlas. You failed. Kronos likes you just where you are. As for you, Krios, do your duty."**

**"And if you need more warriors?" Krios asked. "Our treacherous nephew in the tuxedo will not do you much good in a fight."**

"Is he talking about Prometheus? Aren't they brothers?" Dakota asked. Everyone shrugged in response.

**The golden Titan laughed. "Don't worry about him. Besides, the gods can barely handle our first little challenge. **

**They have no idea how many others we have in store. Mark my words, in a few days' time, Olympus will be in ruins, and we will meet here again to celebrate the dawn of the Sixth Age!"**

"Nope, never gonna happen," Marcus said jauntily.

**The golden Titan erupted into flames and disappeared.**

**"Oh sure," Krios grumbled. "He gets to erupt into flames. I get to wear these stupid ram's horns."**

Everyone started laughing at this. Jax's dreams were so wierd.

**The scene shifted. Now I was outside the pavilion, hiding in the shadows of a Greek column. A boy stood next to me, eavesdropping on the Titans. **

**He had dark silky hair, pale skin, and dark clothes – my friend Nico di Angelo, the son of Hades.**

"Hmm, so there are three kids of the big three. One for each god, Jax, Jason, and Nico," Joel said, counting them out on his fingers.

"Jason has an older sister too," Reyna said.

"But she never made it to the camp," Marcus countered.

"And what about me?" Gwen asked.

"Well, you were unknown at this time," Dakota said.

**He looked straight at me, his expression grim. "You see, Percy?" he whispered. "You're running out of time. Do you really think you can beat them without my plan?"**

"Ooh, so now you have a plan... hope this one works out better for you," Ryan said,. Everyone turned and scowled at him, and Jax's hand flexed dangerously near his jean pocket. Reyna decided to diffuse the tension by continuing to read.

**His words washed over me as cold as the ocean floor and my dreams went black.**

"**Percy?" a deep voice said.**

**My head felt like it had been micro waved in aluminum foil.**

"Doesn't that just mean it's on fire?" Dakota asked.

**I opened my eyes and saw a large shadowy figure looming over me.**

"**Beckendorf?" I asked hopefully.**

Joel looked down, and Kylie patted his hand comfortingly.

"**No, brother."**

"Yay, it has to be Tyson!" Gwen cheered.

**My eyes refocused. I was looking at a Cyclops  
**"A Cyclops!" Gwen said in disappointment. This had to be someone's idea of a cruel joke.

– **a misshapen face, ratty brown hair, one big brown eye full of concern. "Tyson?"**

**My brother broke into a toothy grin. "Yay! Your brain still works!"**

"Shut it," Jax said to the tent in whole before anyone made a comment about his brain activity.

**I wasn't so sure.**

"See, even you aren't sure!" Ryan said. Jax pulled Riptide out of his pocket but kept it capped. Ryan gulped and said nothing else.

**My body felt weightless and cold my voice sounded wrong… I could hear Tyson, but it was like I was hearing vibrations inside my skull, not the regular sounds.**

"Huh?" Everyone but Gwen and Jax said. Gwen giggled.

"Jax, you're underwater," she explained. Everyone said made sounds of comprehension.

**I sat up, and a gossamer sheet floated away. I was on a bed made of silky woven kelp, in a room paneled with abalone shell.**

**Glowing pearls the size of basketballs floated around the ceiling, providing light. I was under water.**

**Now, being the son of Poseidon and all, I was okay with this. I can breathe underwater just fine, and my clothes don't even get wet unless I want them to. **

"So you have to will your body to wet itself," Ryan said, and Jax fought the urge to uncap Riptide.

**But it was still a bit of a shock when a hammerhead shark drifted through the bedroom window, regarded me, and then swam calmly out the opposite side of the room.**

**"Where – "**

**"Daddy's palace," Tyson said.**

"Ooh!" Gwen said. She had never seen her daddy's palace before, and hearing about it was going to be awesome. This almost made up for the fact that her half-brother Tyson was a Cyclops.

**Under different circumstances, I would've been excited. I'd never visited Poseidon's realm, and I'd been dreaming about it for years. **

**But my head hurt. My shirt was still speckled with burn marks from the explosion. My arm and leg wounds healed – being in the ocean can do that for me, given enough time – but I still felt like I'd been trampled by a Laistrygonian soccer team in cleats.**

"You have a weird sense of imagery," Hazel remarked. Reyna held back the desire to roll her eyes. Hazel had the same weird sense.

**"How long –"**

**"We found you last night," Tyson said. "Sinking through the water."**

**"The **_**Princess Andromeda?"**_

**"Went ka-boom," Tyson confirmed.**

**"Beckendorf was on board. Did you find…"**

Joel looked down again. He wished he could have met Beckendorf.

**Tyson's face darkened. "No sign of him. I am sorry, brother."**

**I stared out the window into the deep blue water. Beckendorf was supposed to go to college in the fall. He had a girlfriend, lots of friends, his whole life ahead of him. He couldn't be **_**gone.**_

"This is the first person you lost, isn't it?" Hazel asked Jax sadly.

"I'm not sure," Jax answered.

**Maybe he'd made it off the ship like I had. Maybe he'd jumped over the side… and what? He couldn't have survived a hundred-foot fall into the water like I could. He couldn't have put enough distance between himself and the explosion. **

Jax suddenly felt a twinge of guilt in the pit of his stomach. This was all his fault. All his freaking fault.

**I knew in my gut he was dead.**

Jax felt a few hot tears sting the corners of his eyes. Joel pulled up his hood to hide the ones he felt sliding down his cheeks. Gwen grabbed Jax's hand, and Kylie did the same for Joel.

**He'd sacrificed himself to take out the **_**Princess Andromeda**_**, and I had abandoned him.**

Jax looked down at the floor, and Gwen hugged him.

"Jax," Joel began, "it's not your fault. People die, and Beckendorf died a hero."

**I thought about my dream: the Titans discussing the explosion as if it didn't matter, Nico di Angelo warning me that I would never beat Kronos without following his plan – a dangerous idea I'd been avoiding for more than a year.**

**A distant blast shook the room. Green light blazed outside, turning the whole sea as bright as noon.**

**"What was that?" I asked.**

**Tyson looked worried. "Daddy will explain. Come, he is blowing up monsters."**

Gwen smiled. She had only ever seen sculptures of their dad, and listening to him own monsters would be awesome!

**The place might have been the most amazing place I'd ever seen if it hadn't been in the process of getting destroyed.**

Gwen's smile fell back into a worried grimace. She clenched Jax's hand tightly as Reyna continued reading.

**We swam to the end of a long hallway and shot upward on a geyser. As we rose over the rooftops, I caught my breath – well, if you catch your breath underwater.**

**The palace was as big as the city on Mount Olympus, with wide courtyards, gardens, and columned pavilions. **

**The gardens were sculpted with coral colonies and glowing sea plants. Twenty or thirty buildings were made of abalone, white but gleaming with rainbow colors. **

**Fish and octopi darted in and out of the windows. The paths were lined with glowing pearls like Christmas lights.**

Gwen smiled brightly, but then remembered it was in the process of being destroyed.

"Wow! Jax, that sounds awesome. I think my dad deserves his own kingdom," Ryan said. Reyna looked at Ryan incredulously.

"What would it be? A mailroom?" Reyna asked. Ryan shot Reyna a look.

**The main courtyard was filled with warriors – mermen with fish tails from the waist down and human bodies from the waist up expect their skin was blue, which I'd never known before. Some were tending the wounded. **

**Some were sharpening spears and swords. One passed us swimming in a hurry. His eyes where bright green, like the stuff they put in glow-sticks, and his teeth were shark teeth. They don't show you stuff like that in **_**The Little Mermaid.**_

"Well, they sound cooler!" Gwen persisted. The other girls raised their eyebrows.

**Outside the main courtyard stood large fortifications – towers, walls, and antisiege weapons – but most of these had been smashed to ruins. Others were blazing with a strange green light that I knew well – Greek fire, which can burn even underwater.**

**Beyond this, the sea floor stretched into gloom. I could see battles raging- flashes of energy, explosions, the glint of armies clashing. **

**A regular human would've found it too dark to see. Heck, a regular human would've been crushed by the pressure and frozen by the cold. Even my heat-sensitive eyes couldn't make out exactly what was going on.**

**At the edge of the palace complex, a temple with a red coral roof exploded, sending fire and debris streaming in slow motion across the farthest gardens.**

"Oh no," Gwen said, burying her head into Jax's chest. She did not like hearing about her dad's home being destroyed.

**Out of the darkness above, an enormous form appeared – a squid larger than any skyscraper. It was surrounded by a glittering cloud of dust -at least I thought it was dust, until I realized it was a swarm of mermen trying to attack the monster. **

**The squid descended on the palace and swatted its tentacles, smashing a whole column of warriors. Then a brilliant arc of blue light shot from the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings. The light hit the giant squid, and the monster dissolved like food coloring in water.**

**"Daddy," Tyson said, pointing to where the light had come from.**

**"**_**He**_** did that?" I suddenly felt more hopeful. My dad had unbelievable powers. He was the god of the sea. He could deal with this attack, right?**

Gwen's face rose from Jax's chest with a hopeful gleam in her eyes. Somehow Reyna did not think Neptune (or Poseidon as he is called) was going to be able to handle it all.

**Maybe he'd let me help.**

**"Have you been in the fight?" I asked Tyson in awe. "Like bashing heads with your awesome Cyclops strength and that stuff?"**

**Tyson pouted, and immediately I knew I'd asked a bad question.**

"Well, that settles that," Marcus said, "If he won't let your Cyclops brother compete I doubt he'll let you."  
"Yeah, and I doubt either you or Tyson takes it sitting down," Dakota added.

**"I have been… fixing weapons," he mumbled. "Come. Let's go find Daddy."**

**I know this might sound weird to people with, like, regular parents, but I'd only seen my dad four or five times in my life, and never for more than a few minutes. **

**The Greek gods don't exactly show up for their kids' basketball games. Still, I thought I would recognize Poseidon on sight.**

**I was wrong.**

"What's wrong?" Hazel asked, looking concerned.

"His dad's power source is in danger," Harley explained, "same thing happened to my mom thirteen years ago when Christians were all up in arms about the whole Harry Potter thing. Well, probably Mom did not look as bad, only one third of her heads looked weird."

"Trivia has three heads?" Marcus asked.

"Duh! You've known me for how long and didn't know my mom had three heads?" Trivia asked.

"But if she has three heads, how does she… you know… pick up guys?" Marcus asked. Dakota snorted.

"She doesn't always have three heads, moron," Harley said, "The mist usually hides the other two!"

"So, which head do they see?" asked Ryan. It was extremely obvious that Ryan and Dakota wanted an amusing answer. Harley simply shrugged, denying the guys what they wanted.

**The roof of the temple was a big pen deck that had been set up as a command center. A mosaic on the floor showed an exact map of the palace grounds and the surrounding ocean, but the mosaic moved. **

**Colored stone tiles representing different armies and sea monsters shifted around as the forced changed position. Buildings that collapsed in real life also collapsed in the picture.**

**Standing around the mosaic, grimly studying the battle, was a strange assortment of warriors, but none of them looked like my dad. I was searching for a big guy with a good tan and a black beard, wearing Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.**

"My mom either looks ready for a drag race or a Miss America contest," Dakota said.

"My dad's clothes are always a travel suit," Kylie said.

"Not always… he sometimes wears a jogging suit," Ryan said.

"Barely ever," Kylie replied.

"My mom usually wears burka and a traffic vest," Harley said.

"To cover her three heads," Marcus said, receiving a blow on the back of his head from Harley.

"My mom looks kind of like a soccer mom," Hazel said.

"My dad is usually in overalls," Joel said quietly.

"My mom's appearance, like everything else, depends on the season," Reyna said, brushing a hand through her winter, dull hair before continuing to read.

**There was nobody like that. One guy was a merman with two fish tails instead of one. His skin was green, his armor studded with pearls. **

**His black hair was tied in a ponytail, and he looked young – though it's hard to tell with non-humans. They could be a thousand years old or three. **

**Standing next to him was an old man with a bushy white beard and gray hair. His battle armor seemed to weigh him down. He had green eyes and smile wrinkles around his eyes, but he wasn't smiling now. He was studying the map and leaning on a large metal staff. To his right stood a beautiful woman in green armor with flowing black hair and strange little horns like crab claws.**

"Bet that's your dad," Ryan joked. Gwen reached down beside her and pulled up Red Tide, giving her most menacing look. Ryan sunk back into his seat, having forgotten to bring his own weapon.

**And there was a dolphin – a regular dolphin, but it was staring at the map intently.**

Ryan had to hold back a 'sorry, that must be your dad' because he did not want to become a Ryan-kabob.

**"Delphin," the old man said. "Send Palaemon and his legion of sharks to the western front. We have to neutralize those leviathans."**

**The dolphin spoke in a chattering voice, but I could understand it in my mind: **_**Yes, lord!**_** It sped away.**

"So, you speak Dolphin too," Dakota said.

"You realize Delphin is god of Dolphins. Anyone of us could have understood him," Joel said.

**I looked in dismay at Tyson, then back at the old man.**

**It didn't seem possible, but…. "Dad?" I asked.**

**The old man looked up. I recognized the twinkle in his eyes, but his face.. He looked like he aged forty years.**

"**Hello, Percy."**

"**What – what happened to you?"**

"Bad move," Joel said simply.

"Gods don't like people criticizing their looks," Ryan said as if from personal experience.

"That is kind of a no duh, Ryan," Reyna said before going back to reading.

**Tyson nudged me. He was shaking his head so hard I was afraid it would fall off, but Poseidon didn't look offended.**

"'Cause our daddy's cool like that," Gwen said with a smirk.

"**It's alright, Tyson," he said. "Percy, excuse my appearance. This was has been hard on me."**

"**But you're immortal," I said quietly. "You can look… any way you want."**

"**I reflect the state of my realm," he said.**

"Does Daddy still look like that?" Gwen asked Jax, but Jax could not answer.

**"And right now that state is quite grim. Percy, I should introduce you – I'm afraid you just missed my lieutenant Delphin, God of the Dolphins. This is my, er, wife, Amphitrite. My dear –"**

"Awkward!" chorused Ryan, Harley, and Dakota.

"It's always hard meeting the spouse," Reyna said empathetically.

"Agreed," Joel said.

**The lady in the green armor stared at me coldly, then crossed her arms and said, "Excuse me, my lord. I am needed in battle."**

**She swam away.**

"Well, I think I'd be in a bad mood too if my husband's illegitimate kid shows up," Kylie said.

**I felt pretty awkward, but I guess I couldn't blame her, I'd never thought about it much, but my dad had an immortal wife. All his romances with mortals, including with my mom…. well, Amphitrite probably didn't like me much.**

"Sounds like a reverse gender role of Pluto," Reyna said.

**Poseidon cleared his throat. "Yes, well… and this is my son Triton. Er, my **_**other**_** son."**

"**Your son and heir,"' the green dude corrected. His double dish tails swished back and forth. He smiled at me, but there was no friendliness in his eyes. "Hello, Perseus Jackson. Come to help at last?"**

"Triton's full of crap," Gwen said.

"Okay, who corrupted my little sister?" Jax asked the room at large. Gwen laughed.

"Jax, I grew up in foster care. I know badder words," Gwen said **(A/N: excuse Gwen's grammar, she's 7)**

**He acted like I was late or lazy. If you can blush under-water, I probably did.**

**"Tell me what to do," I said.**

**He smiled like that was a cute suggestion – like I was a slightly amusing dog that had barked for him or something. He turned to Poseidon. "I will see to the front line, Father. Don't worry. **_**I **_**will not fail."**

"Where exactly did Jax fail?" asked Marcus.

"Nowhere I can think of," Kylie said.

"Well you can't exactly call the Princess Andromeda a success," Harley said. Everyone but Jax glared at her. Jax was thinking she was right.

**He nodded politely to Tyson. How come I didn't get that much respect? **

"Tyson was born with a nature spirit. I don't think that counts," Joel said reasonably.

**Then he shot off into the water. Poseidon sighed. He raised his staff, and it changed into his regular weapon – a huge three-pointed trident. **

**The tips glowed with blue light, and the water around it boiled with energy.**

**"I'm sorry about that," he told me.**

"I think you may be Neptune's favorite," Reyna said.

"Hmph," Gwen said.

"I meant Poseidon," Reyna said.

**A huge sea serpent appeared from above us and spiraled down towards the roof. It was a bright orange with a fanged mouth big enough to swallow a gymnasium. **

**Hardly looking up, Poseidon pointed his trident at the beast and zapped it with blue energy. **_**Ka-boom! **_**The monster burst into a million goldfish, which all swam off in terror.**

"Okay, your dad kicks butt," Dakota laughed.

**"My family is anxious," Poseidon continued as if nothing had happened. "The battle against Oceanus is going poorly."**

**He pointed to the edge of the mosaic. With the butt of his trident, he tapped the image of a merman larger than the rest, with the horns of a bull. **

**He appeared to be riding a chariot pulled by crawfish, and instead of a sword, he wielded a live serpent.**

"Why would you wield a serpent?" Kylie asked.

**"Oceanus," I said, trying to remember. "The Titan of the sea?"**

**Poseidon nodded. "He was neutral in the first war of gods and Titans. But Kronos has convinced him to fight. This is.. Well, not a good sign. Oceanus would not commit unless he was sure he could pick the winning side."**

**"He looks stupid," I said, trying to sound upbeat. "I mean, who fights with a snake?"**

"That's what I said!" Kylie smirked.

"Great, now we know that we need a break at the end of this chapter," Hazel said.

"Why?" Dakota asked.

"Kylie's starting to get stir crazy. Her Mercurial side is showing," Hazel smirked.

**"Daddy will tie it in knots," Tyson said firmly.**

"You got that right, Tyson!" Gwen said. She was starting to like Tyson, even if he was a Cyclops.

**Poseidon smiled, but he looked weary. "I appreciate your faith. We have been at war almost a year now. My powers are taxed. And still he finds new forces to throw at me – sea monsters so ancient I had forgotten about them."**

**I heard an explosion in the distance. About half a mile away, a mountain of coral disintegrated under the weight of two giant creatures. I could dimly make out their shapes. **

**One was a lobster. The other was a giant humanoid like a Cyclops, but he was surrounded by a flurry of limbs. At first, I thought he was wearing a bunch of giant octopi. Then I realized they were his own arms – a hundred flailing, fighting arms.**

**"Briares!" I said.**

"He's one of the hundred-handed ones… the only one still around," Reyna said.

**I was happy to see him, but he looked like he was fighting for his life. He was the last of his kind – a Hundred-Handed one, cousin of the Cyclopes. **

**We had saved him from Kronos's prison last summer, and I knew he'd come to help Poseidon, but I hadn't heard of him since.**

**"He fights well," Poseidon said. "I wish we had a whole army like him, but he is only one."**

**I watched as Briares bellowed in rage and picked up the lobster, which thrashed and snapped it's pincers. **

**He threw it off the coral mountain, and the lobster disappeared into the darkness. Briares swam after it, his hundred arms spinning like the blades of a motorboat. **

"**Percy, we may not have much time," my dad said. "Tell me of your mission. Did you see Kronos?"**

**I told him everything, though my voice choked up when I explained about Beckendorf. I looked down at the courtyards below and saw hundred of wounded merman lying on makeshift cots.**

**I saw rows of coral mounds that must've been hastily made graves. I realized Beckendorf wasn't the first death. He was only one of hundreds, maybe thousands. I'd never felt so angry and helpless.**

"Just what we needed to hear," Harley grumbled.

**Poseidon stroke his beard, "Percy, Beckendorf chose a heroic death. You bear no blame for that. Kronos's army will be in disarray. Many were destroyed."**

**"But we didn't kill him, did we?"**

"Fuh, yeah right!" Harley laughed.

**As I said it, I knew it was a naïve hope. We might blow up his ships and disintegrate his monsters, but a Titan lord wouldn't be so easy to kill.**

**"No," Poseidon admitted. "But you've bought our side some time."**

**"There were demigods on that ship," I said, thinking of the kid I'd seen in the stairwell. Somehow, I'd allowed myself to concentrate on the monsters and Kronos. **

**I'd convinced myself that destroying their ship was all right because they were evil, they were sailing to attack my city, and besides, they couldn't really be permanently killed. Monsters just vaporized and re-formed eventually. But demigods….**

They all sighed sadly; Harley's sigh was the loudest. She could have easily been one of those demigods.

**Poseidon put his hand on my shoulder. "Percy, there were only a few demigod warriors aboard that ship, and they all chose to battle for Kronos. **

**Perhaps some heeded your warning and escaped. If they did not… they chose their path."**

**"They were brainwashed!" I said. "Now they're dead and Kronos is still alive. That's supposed to make me feel better?"**

**I glared at the mosaic – little tile explosions destroying tile monsters. It seemed so easy when it was just a picture.**

**Tyson put his arm around me. If anybody else had tried that, I would've pushed them away, but Tyson was too big and stubborn.**

"Well, there are two people who can do it now," Reyna noted. Gwen had both arms around her brother's waist.

**He hugged me whether I wanted it or not.**

"Awww," echoed everyone. The boys and Harley were saying it jokingly.

**"Not your fault, brother. Kronos does not explode good. Next time we will use a big stick."**

"We should have tried that on Krios," laughed Ryan.

**"Percy," my father said. "Beckendorf's sacrifice wasn't in vain. You have scattered the invasion force. New York will be safe for a time, which frees the other Olympians to deal with the bigger threat."**

**"The bigger threat?" I thought about what the golden Titan had said in my dream: **_**The gods have answered the challenge. Soon they will be destroyed.**_

"Ominous, ain't it?" Marcus said.

**A shadow passed over my father's face. "You've had enough sorrow for one day. Ask Chiron when you return to camp."**

"Chiron?" everyone asked.

"**Return to camp? But you're in trouble here. I want to help!"**

**"You can't, Percy. Your job is elsewhere."**

Jax and Gwen sighed. Leaving the sea in that mess had to be hard.

**I couldn't believe I was hearing this. I looked at Tyson for backup.**

**My brother chewed his lip. "Daddy….. Percy can fight with a sword. He is good."**

"**I know that," Poseidon said gently.**

"**Dad, I can help," I said. "I know I can. You're not going to hold out here much longer."**

**A fireball launched into the sky from behind the enemy lines. I thought Poseidon would deflect it or something, but it landed on the outer corned of the yard and exploded, sending mermen tumbling through the water. Poseidon flinched as if he'd just been stabbed.**

"It probably did hurt," Harley said without much feeling.

"**Return to camp," he insisted. "And tell Chiron it's time."**

"**For what?"**

"**You must here the prophecy. The **_**entire **_**prophecy.'**

**I didn't need to ask him what prophecy. I'd been hearing about the "Great Prophecy" for years, but nobody would ever tell me the whole thing.**

"Hmm… we did the same thing to Jason. I knew the whole one, and he once threatened to stab me through if I didn't tell him," Reyna said reminiscently.

**All I knew was that I was supposed to make a decision that would decide the fate of the world – but no pressure.**

"Yep, sounds so simple," Marcus said.

"But it's not," Dakota added.

"**What if this **_**is**_** the decision?" I said. "Staying here to fight, or leaving? What if I leave and you.."**

**I couldn't say **_**die**_**. Gods weren't supposed to die, but I'd seen it happen.**

"Huh?" everyone was confused. Gods only died if their area was decimated.

**Even if they didn't die, they could be reduced to nearly nothing, exiled, imprisoned in the depths of Tartarus like Kronos had been.**

**"Percy, you must go." Poseidon insisted. "I don't know what your final decision will be, but your fight lies in the world above. **

**If nothing else, you must warn your friends at camp. Kronos knew your plans. You have a spy.**

"I wonder who it is," Joel muttered.

**We will hold here. We have no choice."**

**Tyson gripped my hand desperately. "I will miss you, brother!"**

Jax felt a stab in his gut. He wanted to see Tyson.

**Watching us, our father seemed to age another ten years. "Tyson, you have word to do as well, my son. They need you in the armory."**

**Tyson pouted some more.**

**"I will go," he sniffled. He hugged me so hard he almost cracked my ribs. "Percy, be careful! Do not let monsters kill you dead!"**

"Aww…" The girls said. Tyson was like a big baby… in a good way.

**I tried to nod confidently, but it was too much for the big guy. He sobbed and swam away toward the armory, where his cousins were fixing spears and swords.**

**"You should let him fight," I told my father. "He hates being stuck in the armory. Can't you tell?"**

"Wow, you've got nerve," Joel said with awe.

**Poseidon shook his head. "It is bad enough I must send you into danger. Tyson is too young. I must protect him."**

"**You should trust him," I said. "Not try to protect him."**

**Poseidon's eyes flared. I thought I'd gone too far, but then he looked down at the mosaic and his shoulders sagged. On the tiles, the mermaid guy in the crawfish chariot was coming closer to the palace. **

**"Oceanus approaches," my father said. "I must meet him in battle."**

**I'd never been scared for a god before, but I didn't see how my dad could face this Titan and win.**

**"I will hold," Poseidon promised. "I will not give up my domain. Just tell me, Percy, do you still have the birthday gift I gave you last summer?"**

**I nodded and pulled out my camp necklace. It had a bead for every summer I'd been at Camp Half-Blood, but since last year, I'd also kept a sand dollar on the cord. My father had given it to me for my fifteenth birthday. He'd told me that I would know when to "spend it," but so far, I hadn't figured out what he meant. All I knew was that it didn't fit the vending machines in the school cafeteria.**

"Nice one, fish head," Harley groaned. _Fish head, _Jax thought, _no, that's not right._

**"The time is coming," he promised. "With luck, I will see you for your birthday next week, and we will have a proper celebration."**

**He smiled, and for a moment, I saw the old light in his eyes.**

**Then the entire sea grew dark in front of us, like an inky storm was rolling in. Thunder crackled, which would've been impossible underwater. A huge icy presence was approaching us. I sensed a wave of fear roll through the armies below us.**

"**I must assume my true godly form," Poseidon said. "Go – and good luck, my son."**

**I wanted to encourage him, to hug him or something. But I knew better than to stick around. When a god assumes his true form, the power is so great that any mortal looking on him will disintegrate.**

"You guys are rather close for god and demigod," Hazel observed.

**"Good-bye, Father," I managed.**

**Then I turned away. I willed the ocean currents to air me. Water swirled around me, and I shot toward the surface at speeds that would've cause any normal human to pop like a balloon.**

**When I looked back, all I could see were flashes of green and blue as my father fought the Titan, and the sea itself was torn apart by the two armies. **

"That's the chapter's end!" Reyna said.

"I'll read after we take a lunch break," Kylie said as her stomach rumbled convincingly.

"Okay, it's nearly noon anyways," Hazel said, looking at her watch. They agreed to be back in the tent in an hour and left for lunch.

* * *

**Okay! Please review!**

**eMMeD :)**


	5. The Lunch Break

**A/N: Okay so this is just an extremely quick update. Kind of a filler chapter (I think, I don't know the exact meaning of this), so I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Ha ha... I am so glad that Riordan owns PJO and not me, because he has better story ideas... so enjoy.**

Reyna grabbed Hazel's arm once out of the tent and steered her to Proserpina tent. "What's going on with you and Dakota?" Reyna asked Hazel as they entered Reyna's tent. Hazel looked purposefully away from Reyna.

"So Ryan was right. You did wet yourself," Hazel said, pointing to the wadded sheets in the corner. Reyna grabbed Hazel's arm again and turned the daughter of Ceres to face her.

"Haze, you said you'd tell me. When did it happen?" Reyna asked. Hazel shrugged and sat down on the nearest crate.

She took in a deep breath and said, "It was really sudden." Reyna could not help but laughing.

"Yep, well," Reyna said, "who knows? Isn't one of Dakota's best friends Petey Sallinger?" Hazel glared at Reyna.

"Are you insinuating what I think you are?" Hazel asked.

"Well, he was bragging about getting arrows from his dad for Saturnalia," Reyna said.

XXXXX

"Do you know how weird it is that I am one the only ones who don't know who their godly parent is?" Marcus asked. Dakota punched Marcus in the shoulder.

"Believe me, it only gets worse after you find out," Dakota said.

"Well, it's not all bad," Marcus said, "You guys all have powers." Dakota rolled his eyes.

"We've had this conversation before," Dakota stated, "they aren't that awesome."

"How else did you get Hazel?" Marcus asked.

"That had nothing to do with it," bit Dakota.

"Whatever you say, the fact that your mom is the goddess of victory has nothing…"

"Shut up!" Dakota said moodily, "…Let's get lunch."

XXXXX

Kylie collapsed onto her bed in the Mercury cabin. The cabin was empty, probably because all the other Mercury kids were at lunch. "Well, Jax sure lived an interesting life," she said. Ryan shrugged.

"Really, not that different from any of our lives," Ryan said, and then the edges of his mouth twitched, "but I had no clue Jax had a sense of humor."

"I don't think calling relatives of the sea god 'fishy' really falls under the umbrella of humorous," Kylie said.

"Oh, come on, Kyle," Ryan said, "You're just pissed that Jax probably already has a girlfriend." Kylie rolled her eyes. Kylie's only feelings toward Jax were completely platonic.

"Ryan…" Kylie groaned simply before getting up off the bed again and leaving to get some lunch.

XXXXX

Gwen looked at Jax, studying him as if she had never seen her brother before. "Okay," Jax said, "You've been staring at me like that for two minutes." Gwen just kept staring. "Come on, Gwen, what's up?"

"You have a mom," Gwen said simply. For a second, Jax was confused, but then it hit him. Gwen did not like to talk about her life, but Jax had a feeling it was not good. You did not end up in foster-care for having a good life.

"Yeah, and we are going to find her, and I'm sure she and Paul'll love you," Jax said squeezing Gwen's arm affectionately. Gwen gave him grateful smiled and then grabbed her brother's hand pulling him out of their tent towards lunch. They could smell the barbeque from here.

XXXXX

Harley hated the solitude of Trivia cabin, but being around all those happy godly families was the only thing worse. She missed her sister even if she was too good and noble. She missed Connor, her brother, even if he was overprotective. Worst of all, Harley could not throw off the feeling that it was all her fault.

Connor and Lydia were loyal to the gods, but without their third member, they were weak, easily blown away with a single strike from the Lord of Constellations. Harley gave a sad sigh as she grabbed an orange piece of fabric from her pocket. A small black letter "A" rested on the swatch. Hopefully Jax would not go ballistic when he noticed the hole in his night shirt, but Harley knew that this was the only way they would get some answers they did not have already.

Harley grabbed a few dusty bottles from the nearest shelf. She hoped the ingredients were not expired as she poured them into a large bowl along with the small A. Did potion ingredients go bad? Harley did not know. Lydia was always the potioneer.

Harley slowly stirred the concoction. Under her breath she murmured, "_mettre celui dont la mémoire reflètent, mettre celui dont la mémoire reflètent…"_

XXXXX

Joel's lunch break was rather uneventful. He did not talk to anyone, which was not unusual, and the only thing that he thought about was why the demigods were never told there was another camp. He guessed there must be a reason. The gods did not just keep stuff secret for no reason. Oh, wait… these were the Roman gods.

XXXXX

Everyone was gathered in the Neptune tent after lunch, everyone except Harley. To put it simply, it is not wise to leave a whole group of demigods (or any group of ADHD kids) in a room waiting. Patience is not one of their strong suits.

"Where is she?" asked Kylie in an annoyed voice. She had the book closed on her lap and looked murderous. Her expression was conveyed on almost all the other faces.

"She's over twenty minutes late," Reyna said, looking at her watch.

"We should just start," Dakota said. Most people nodded their assent, but Hazel, who was now openly sitting next to Dakota and holding his hand, gave her boyfriend an affronted look.

"She is only a little late," Hazel said.

"She's how late, Reyna?" Dakota asked Reyna.

"Twenty minutes," Reyna answered quietly. She could literally smell the oncoming fight.

"Twenty minutes!" Dakota restated, "We had a deadline…"

"Yeah, and you've never missed a deadline," Hazel said heatedly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dakota asked. A glare was beginning to move across his face.

"We'll take a vote," Reyna said quickly, attempting to diffuse the tension in the room.

"Okay," Jax said, catching on, "All in favor of starting without Harley say…" Jax was cut off as Harley pulled open the tent flap, looking quite smug with herself.

"You were going to start without me?" Harley said with feigned hurt, and then her face went serious. "Well, anyways, I'm glad you didn't because during lunch I was thinking."

"Wow, I didn't know you could do that," Dakota said in an annoyed voice that was unlike him.

"Ha-ha," Harley rolled her eyes, "anyways, I was thinking that the note Juno was only referring to ten Roman demigods, and, well, as we now know, Jax isn't Roman. So I've got someone outside…"

"You invited someone else!" Kylie said.

"The note said it was my job to pick the ten," Reyna added.

"Don't get your nickers in a twist," Harley said, "Just let her come in and tell me you want her to leave." Harley took Reyna's silence as an allowance. She pulled open the tent flap and said, "Come on in."

The girl who entered was tall with blonde hair and tan skin. It was obvious who her parent was because of her grey eyes, but no one recognized her from the Minerva cabin. She was smiling broadly. Her eyes were fixed on Jax.

"Who is she?" Marcus asked.

"Everyone, meet Annabeth Chase," Harley said. Jax felt a smile form across his face.

Annabeth said, "Where've you been, Seaweed Brain?"

* * *

**Like I said earlier, just a filler. I hoped you enjoyed. I always planned on bringing in Annabeth, but I was kind of thinking of bringing her in later. Virtual flower to who can tell me who Petey Sallinger dad is. Oh, and as I mentioned earlier. You can still guess who Marcus' dad is. Do you all want my version of how Jax got to camp, because I was thinking about doing one. Kind of a prequel.**

**As always, read and review! Thanks to those who have favorited and alerted this, especially to the reviewers!**

**eMMeD :)**


	6. Sneak peak of my death

**Hey yall sorry for the wait! This was a really ling chapter and I think it might be kind of uncomfortable, but I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I am so glad that I am not Rick Riordan, because his story is way better.**

**Annabeth**

Annabeth hated being idle. 'An idle mind is Eris' toy' was one of her mom's favorite sayings. Right now it hurt too much to stay still. She missed Percy too much, and work was the only thing that made it feel better. _Boom, boom_, Annabeth hammered the side of the Argo II with more vigor than was necessary.

"Annabeth, you need a break," Leo said, grabbing Annabeth's hammer mid swing.

"No, Leo, I don't. The quicker we finish the Argo II, the quicker we get to the Roman camp… and to Percy," Annabeth mumbled the last part, but Leo caught it.

"It won't make Jason remember any quicker," Leo pointed out, "and I'm not sure how happy Percy'll be with us if his girlfriend died of exhaustion." Annabeth gave him a look. "Annabeth, take a break. I can get Piper to come over here and take your place for a few minutes." Annabeth nodded.

"I'll take a break, but not too long of one," Annabeth said.

"That's fine," Leo said, "glad you gave in that easily. I was about to go Human Torch," he joked. Annabeth shook her head and placed down her hammer. She took off from Bunker Nine. "Hey, Beauty Queen, get over here," Annabeth heard Leo's voice call. By the time Piper gave an answer, all Annabeth could here was an angry mumble, probably from being called a beauty queen.

Annabeth's feet led her to her destination without her consent or really thought. She ended up in Poseidon cabin and fell onto Percy's bed. Was it strange that she just liked feeling the place where he last was?

She remembered coming into his cabin the morning he went missing. She wanted to surprise him with her horrible attempt at blue blueberry pancakes. It was the worst thing in Olympus or Hades to realize he wasn't there. Ever since then, whenever Annabeth took a break from working, so barely ever, she would find herself in Poseidon Cabin.

Annabeth reached over to Percy's bedside table and picked up a picture of the two of them. They were smiling and war-torn, still in their clothes from the battle. Percy was carefully touching her injured arm with one hand and holding her hand with the other.

That's when something strange happened. One second, she was lying on Percy's bed, and, the next, Annabeth was on a wooden floor in a dark cabin. A tall girl with purplish red hair wearing a purple shirt like Jason's was standing over her. A wide grin stretched across the girl's face.

"You are definitely not Rachel," she said, looking down at Annabeth.

XXXXX

"Were've you been, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth said. An uncomfortable silence fell over the group, and Annabeth took the time to access the situation. Percy was smiling, that was a good sign, but he was not answering, not so good.

XXXXX

Third Person POV

"You don't remember me, do you?" Annabeth asked, her smile turning sad. Jax wanted to say that he did more than anything.

"No," Jax said quickly. He seemed to believe that the quicker that he said it, the less it would hurt. Annabeth looked down. Another awkward situation, and who intervenes?

"Well, we should probably start reading," Reyna said, motioning her head over to Kylie to start. Kylie looked around the room, and, when her only response was Annabeth taking a seat next to Marcus on the ground, Kylie started reading.

**Chapter Three: A Sneak Peek at My Death**

"Ooh, that's cheery," Ryan said. He was the only one who missed the shadow that crossed Annabeth's face. Jax felt his stomach drop.

"Well, obviously Jax doesn't die," Harley pointed out, "So, what's wrong?"

"Just keep reading…" Annabeth said. This book was going to be more painful than she thought.

**If you want to be popular at Camp Half-Blood, don't come back from a mission with bad news. Word of my arrival spread as soon as I walked out of the ocean.**

Everyone snorted at that. "Uh, Jax, sorry to break it to you, but that's kinda a rule of thumb," Dakota said.

"Jax, huh?" Annabeth asked, "short for Jackson?" Gwen, who had been surprisingly quiet since Harley showed up with Annabeth, nodded.

"It's what I remembered his name being," Gwen said. Annabeth nodded understandingly, looking at the small girl who was sitting next to Jax. Her black hair and green eyes made it obvious that she was Gwen (a name Harley had given her), Jax's Roman sister.

**Our beach is on the North Shore of Long Island, it's enchanted so most people can't even see it.**

"Percy, don't give away all our secrets!" Annabeth reprimanded. She sure missed doing that.

Jax did not respond. He was not sure how to.

**People don't just **_**appear**_** on the beach unless they're demigods or gods or really, really lost pizza guys. (It's happened – but that's another story.)**

Everyone turned to Jax and Annabeth for answers. "Well, I don't remember," Jax said, though he wanted to know what it was about also. Annabeth shrugged to everyone's disappointment.

"I must have been at school," Annabeth said.

**Anyway, that afternoon the lookout on duty was Connor Stoll from the Hermes cabin.**

**When he spotted me, he got so excited he fell out of his tree.**

"I see smoothness runs in the family," Marcus said to Ryan and Kylie. Kylie stuck her tongue out. She was smooth.

"You two are children of Mercury?" Annabeth asked. Ryan and Kylie nodded. Annabeth could see that. Ryan had the same color hair as Luke had and looked like an elf. Kylie had the upturned nose and curly brown hair.

**Then he blew the conch horn to signal the camp and ran to greet me. Connor had a crooked smile that matched his crooked sense of humor. He's a pretty nice guy,**

"Yeah, if you don't mind itching powder," Annabeth remarked, looking at Jax out of the corner of her eye hopefully. Jax chuckled slightly, but he showed no sign of knowing the story behind that. Annabeth held back a sigh.

**But you should always keep one hand on your wallet when he's around, and do not, under any circumstances; give him access to shaving cream unless you want to find your sleeping bag full of it.**

"Hmm… that's more like it," Annabeth said. Ryan and Kylie were laughing. It was fun hearing about Greek siblings.

"Wow, I can definitely see the family resemblance," Reyna said with a half-smile.

**He's got curly brown hair and is a little shorter than his brother, Travis, which is the only way I can tell them apart.**

"So he has a twin?" Hazel asked. Annabeth shook her head.

"No, they are nine months apart," Annabeth said.

**They are both so unlike my old enemy Luke it's hard to believe they're all sons of Hermes.**

"Why is it that all other demigods look so much like their siblings, but the Mercury kids each are very distinctive?" Marcus asked.

"Because of the ambiguity surrounding him," Annabeth said knowledgably.

"Huh?" Marcus and Ryan both asked.

"Well… I'll put it this way, what visible feature do you think about when I say Minerva?" Annabeth asked.

"Grey eyes," The majority of the room says.

"And Mercury?" Annabeth asked. There was a mixed reply of caduceus and winged shoes, "See?"

Kylie decided to continue reading.

**"Percy!" he yelled. "What happened? Where's Beckendorf?"**

Everyone looked down sadly. Annabeth sighed.

**Then he saw my expression and his smile melted. "Oh, no. Poor Silena. Holy Zeus, when she finds out…"**

"Oh, gods, that must be hard," Hazel said. She looked over at Dakota and, right then, decided to forgive him. Beckendorf reminded her how short life could be.

"Yeah, it is," Annabeth said. Jax felt a jab in his chest for not remembering her. He felt like such a jerk.

**Together we climbed the sand dunes. A few hundred yards away, people were already streaming towards us, smiling and excited.**

_**Percy's back, **_**they were probably thinking. **_**He's saved the day! Maybe he brought souvenirs!**_

"Well, did you, Jax?" Dakota joked.

"Wow, that was a quip worthy of Ryan," Harley said.

"Hey!" both guys said, followed by a "Jinx!" that Ryan only slightly won. Dakota subsided into a disgruntled silence. Jinx was a binding rule at camp. Something to do with honing one's battle reflexes.

"Sometimes I can't figure out how you are a kid of Victoria," Hazel said, holding in her laughter at her resolutely silent boyfriend. Losing Jinx to Ryan was a hard thing to do, and Ryan was going to play this out as long as possible.

**I stopped at the dining pavilion and waited for them. No sense rushing down there to tell them what a loser I was.**

Annabeth pulled up her hand and placed it on Jax's lap. She looked up into his eyes and said quite seriously, "Perseus Jackson, you are not a loser. It was not your fault." She knew how much these deaths had tormented Jax when after the war. Hades, they hurt her too.

Jax gave her a weak smile. He wanted to say _I know_, but right now he felt like a complete loser. What kind of guy does not remember his own girlfriend?

**I gazed across the valley and tried to remember how Camp Half-Blood looked the first time I ever saw it. That seemed like a bajillion years ago.** **From the dining pavilion, you could see pretty much everything. Hills ringed the valley.**

**On the tallest, Half-Blood Hill, Thalia's pine tree stood with the Golden Fleece hanging from its branches.**

**The guard dragon Peleus was so big now I could see him from here – curled around the tree trunk, sending up smoke signals as he snored.**

**To my right spread the woods. To my left, the canoe lake glittered and the climbing wall glowed from the lava pouring down its side. Twelve cabins – one for each Olympian god –**

"So where did the minor demigods sleep?" Dakota asked.

"Well, they slept in Hermes' cabin," Annabeth said. Dakota made a face. He was unbelievably glad that he was a Roman. Though before the end of the war the minor demigods never had personal cabins, they were in tents.

"That's gotta be cramped," Marcus said.

"Yeah," Annabeth said sadly. She wondered how much pain and problems could have been avoided if they just recognized the minors.

"Hey, Dakota," Ryan said, "You broke the jinx."

"Well, no one here is going to tell Lupa," Hazel said firmly. Ryan knew not to mess with a firm Hazel.

**Made a horseshoe pattern around the commons area. Farther south were the strawberry fields –.**

**The armory and the four-story Big House with its sky blue paint job and its bronze eagle weathervane. In some ways, the camp hadn't changed. But you couldn't see the war by looking at the buildings or the fields. You see it in all the faces of the demigods and satyrs and naiads coming up the hill.**

"Wow, Jax, that's deep," Ryan said, trying to lighten the mood.

"You could be less pessimistic," Kylie suggested to Jax.

**There weren't as many at camp as four summers ago. Some had left and never come back. Some had died fighting. Others – we tried not to talk about them – had gone over to the enemy.**

Harley stiffened, but no one looked her way.

**The ones who were still here were battle-hardened and weary. There was little laughter at camp these days. Even the Hermes cabin didn't play so many pranks. It's hard to enjoy practical jokes when your whole life feels like one.**

"Yeah, that year sucked royal hippocampae," Ryan said glumly.

**Chiron galloped into the pavilion first, which was easy for him since he's a white stallion from the waist down. His beard had grown wilder over the summer. He wore a green T-shirt that said My Other Car Is a Centaur and a bow slung over his back.**

"So, that would be your Lupa," Joel said. Annabeth nodded.

**"Percy!" he said. "Thank the gods. But where…"**

"Probably the stupidest thing Chiron has said in his three-thousand years," Annabeth said.

"Well, Lupa growled about the same thing when I returned alone from my last quest," Dakota said with a groan. He saw his friends, Leah and Harvey Griswold, go down Charybdis. That was four years ago.

**Annabeth rain in right behind him and I'll admit my heart did a little relay race in my chest when I saw her.**

Annabeth could no longer control herself. She hugged Jax, smiling broadly. Jax turned a strange pink Annabeth had not seen since she had kissed him when they were fourteen.

"Come on, Jax! It was just a hug!" Reyna admonished.

**It's not that she tried to look good.**

Annabeth smiled to herself as she sat back down on her spot on the floor. She had no idea that Jax had thought this way. She had been so afraid that he liked Rachel.

**We'd been doing so many combat missions lately, she hardly brushed her curly blond hair anymore, and she didn't care what clothes she was wearing - usually the same old orange camp T-shirt and jeans, and once in a while her bronze armor.**

**Her eyes were stormy gray. Most of the time we couldn't get through a conversation without trying to strangle each other. **

"Sounds like love," crooned Ryan. Jax, who had just begun to turn back to his normal color, went beat red again. Everyone, even Joel, laughed.

**Still, just seeing her made me feel fuzzy in the head.**

"You know, it's fun to watch you squirm," Marcus laughed in a devious way to Jax.

"Can this part just end?" Jax asked with a moan. Annabeth sipped in a breath, trying to put herself in Jax's shoes. He did not recognize these thoughts and did not know her from Pandora.

**Last summer, before Luke had turned into Kronos and everything went sour, there had been a few times when I thought maybe… well, that we might get past the strangle-each-other phase.**

Annabeth glared at the book and then up at the sky. _Stupid Hera! _Annabeth thought. She heard lightning strike in the distance. Zeus was sure protective of his wife.

**"What happened?" She grabbed my arm. "Is Luke –"**

**"The ship blew up," I said. "He wasn't destroyed. I don't know where –"**

**Silena Beauregard pushed through the crowd. Her hair wasn't combed and she wasn't even wearing makeup, which wasn't like her.**

Annabeth knew exactly what that felt like. The waiting, the anticipation for someone who may never return, and, well, maybe _Percy _never would.

**"Where's Charlie?" she demanded, looking around like he might be hiding.**

"I hope this is the last chapter they talk about Beckendorf," Harley said. She hated reliving the deaths of others, and, every time they brought up Beckendorf, Harley saw Connor's dead body.

**I glanced at Chiron helplessly.**

**The old centaur cleared his throat. "Silena, my dear, let's talk about this at the Big House –"**

**"No," she muttered. "No. **_**No.**_**"**

**She started to cry, and the rest of us stood around, too stunned to speak. We'd already lost so many people over the summer, but this was the worst. With Beckendorf gone, it felt like someone had stolen the anchor for the entire camp.**

**Finally Clarisse from the Ares cabin came forward. She put her arm around Silena. They had one of the strangest friendships ever – a daughter of the war of god and a daughter of the love goddess – but ever since Silena had given Clarisse advice last summer about her first boyfriend, Clarisse had decided she was Silena's personal bodyguard.**

Everyone glanced at Ryan to see what remark he was going to make. "What?" Ryan asked the tent at large.

"Nothing," Kylie said before continuing to read.

**Clarisse was dressed in her blood red combat armor, her brown hair tucked into a bandana. She was as big and beefy as a rugby player, with a permanent scowl on her face, but she spoke gently to Silena.**

"Lovely girl," muttered Ryan.

**"Come on, girl," she said. "Let's get to the Big House. I'll make you some hot chocolate."**

**Everyone turned and wandered off in twos and threes, heading back to the cabins. Nobody was excited to see me now. Nobody wanted to hear about the blown-up ship.**

**Only Annabeth and Chiron stayed behind.**

"Of course we did," said Annabeth.

**Annabeth wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'm glad you're not dead, Seaweed Brain."**

"Nice, Annabeth!" cheered Harley.

"Oh, like you would do it any differently," Reyna said.

"I know I wouldn't. It's blunt and to the point, exactly what I would have said," Harley replied, "I was commending her."

**"Thanks," I said. "Me too."**

**Chiron put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure you did everything you could, Percy. Will you tell us what happened?"**

**I didn't want to go through it again, but I told them the story, including my dream about the Titans.**

**I left out the detail about Nico. Nico had made me promise not to tell anybody about his plan until I made up my mind and the plan was so scary I didn't mind keeping it a secret.**

"What's this plan?" Jax asked Annabeth.

Annabeth gave a slight smile. This was the first time he had spoken to her directly, and she could not answer. "You'll see," she said mysteriously.

**Chiron gazed down at the valley. "We must call a war council immediately, to discuss this spy, and other matters."**

**"Poseidon mentioned another threat," I said. "Something even bigger than the **_**Princess Andromeda.**_

**I thought it might be that challenge the Titan had mentioned in my dream."**

**Chiron and Annabeth exchanged looks, like they knew something I didn't. I hated when they did that.**

Annabeth chuckled. Usually this would be the point where she heckled Percy about being slow, but this was not Percy, this was his Roman counterpart, Jax, like Odysseus' Roman counterpart was Ulysses.

**"We will discuss that also," Chiron promised.**

**"One more thing." I took a deep breath. "When I talked to my father, he said to tell you it's time. I need to know the full prophecy."**

"Dramatic music!" Ryan yelled out in tune to the usual dun, dun, dun. Kylie rolled her eyes.

"How are we related?" She asked.

"Well, you see," Ryan began as if he were talking to a five-year-old, "When a god falls for a human… hopefully female…"

"Okay, that's enough," Hazel said. A disgusted look was pasted on each one of their faces.

"Ryan, you are one messed up kid," Joel said before Kylie started reading.

**Chiron's shoulders sagged, but he didn't look surprised. "I've dreaded this day. Very well. Annabeth, we will show Percy the truth – all of it. Let's go to the attic."**

**I'd been to the Big House attic three times before, which was three times more than I wanted to.**

"Ooh, what's up there?" Ryan asked.

"Nothing," Annabeth answered.

**A ladder led up from the top of the staircase. I wondered how Chiron was going to get up there, being half horse and all, but he didn't try.**

"I'd like to see that!" Dakota snorted as everyone laughed and Jax's face turned bright red.

**"You know where it is," he told Annabeth. "Bring it down, please."**

**Annabeth nodded. "Come on, Percy."**

**The sun was setting outside, so the attic was even darker and creepier than usual.**

**Old hero trophies were stacked everywhere – dented shields, pickled heads in jars from various monsters, a pair of fuzzy dice on a bronze plaque that read: **_**STOLEN FROM CHRUSAOR'S HONDA CIVIC, BY GUS, SON OF HERMES, 1988.**_

"We're all really good at that," Kylie said with a straight face.

**I picked up a curved bronze sword so badly bent it looked like the letter 'M'. I could still see green stains on the metal from the magical poison that used to cover it.**

Annabeth made a face. She knew exactly what that was.

**The tag was dated last summer. It read: **_**Scimitar of Kampe, destroyed in the Battle of the Labyrinth.**_

**"You remember Briares throwing those boulders?" I asked. Annabeth gave me a grudging smile. "And Grover causing a Panic?"**

"Grover's a faun?" Joel guessed.

"Satyr, yes," Annabeth said.

**We locked eyes. I thought of a different time last summer, under Mount St. Helens, when Annabeth thought I was going to die and she kissed me.**

"Well, I guess kissing a guy who you think is about to die doesn't hold much risk," Kylie said as Gwen made a face of disgust.

"Too much kissing," she said, causing any tension in the room to break as everyone burst out laughing.

"Well, I don't like it much either," Jax whispered so that only Gwen could hear, "I wish I could remember."

**She cleared her throat and looked away. "Prophecy."**

**"Right." I put down the scimitar. "Prophecy."**

**We walked over to the window. On a three-legged stool sat the Oracle – a shriveled female mummy in a tie-dyed dress.**

"Yuck!" Half the group said in disgust.

"It was really disgusting," Annabeth said. Jax screwed up his face in an attempt to remember both the kiss and the mummy. All that came to mind was a poker game with a bunch of sleazy, fat guys. What the Augean Stables did that mean?

**Tufts of black hair clung to her skull. Glassy eyes stared out of her leathery face. Just looking at her made my skin crawl.**

"Yuck again," Ryan said, and the entire group nodded in agreement.

**If you wanted to leave camp during the summer, it used to be you had to come out here to get a quest. This summer that rule had been tossed. Campers left all the time on combat missions.**

"Well, I wish I could leave without permission," Reyna whispered. She wanted to find Jason still.

**We had no choice if we wanted to stop Kronos.**

**Still, I remembered too well the strange green mist – the Spirit of the Oracle – that lived inside the mummy. She looked lifeless now, but whenever she spoke a prophecy, she moved.**

**Sometimes fog gushed out of her mouth and created strange shapes. Once, she'd even left the attic and taken a little zombie stroll into the woods to deliver a message.**

"That is disturbing," Kylie said, shaking her head to rid herself of the image. Not an easy task at all.

**I wasn't sure what she'd do for the "Great Prophecy." I had expected her to start tap dancing or something.**

"Jax!" the tent all said with sniggers.

"Well, it would be better than the zombie-walk," Jax defended.

"And more funny," Gwen said in agreement.

**But she just sat there like she was dead – which she was.**

**"I never understood this, I whispered.**

**"What?" Annabeth asked.**

**"Why it's a mummy."**

"Yeah, I thought in the ancient Greek myths it was a hot chick or something," Ryan said. He got incredulously looks. "What?"

"Two things," Dakota said, "1. We did not think you knew anything, and 2. We now all know why you have no girlfriend."

"Hey!" that was all Ryan could say before Kylie forcefully began reading.

**"Percy, she didn't used to be a mummy. For thousands of years the spirit of the Oracle lived inside a beautiful maiden.**

"See! I was right," Ryan said.

"No one said you weren't, now shut it," Reyna said.

**The spirit would be passed on from generation to generation. Chiron told me **_**she**_** was like that fifty years ago." Annabeth pointed at the mummy. "But she was the last."**

**"What happened?"**

**Annabeth started to say something, then apparently changed her mind. "Let's just do our job and get out of here."**

Annabeth was peppered with more whys, but she simply shook her head and refused to answer.

**I looked nervously at the Oracle's withered face. "So what now?"**

**Annabeth approached the mummy and held out her palms. "O Oracle, the time is at hand. I ask for the Great Prophecy."**

**I braced myself, but the mummy didn't move. Instead Annabeth approached and unclasped one of its necklaces. I'd never paid too much attention to its jewelry before.**

**I figured it was just hippie love beads and stuff.**

**But when Annabeth turned toward me, she was holding a leather pouch – like a Native American medicine pouch on a cord braided with feathers.**

**She opened the bag and took out a roll of parchment no bigger than her pinky.**

**"No way," I said. "You mean all these years, I've been asking about this stupid prophecy and it's been right there around her neck?"**

**"The time wasn't right," Annabeth said. "Believe me, Percy, I read this when I was ten years old, and I still have nightmares about it."**

**"Great," I said. "Can I read it now?"**

"Oh gods," they all said in anticipation.

**"Downstairs at the war council," Annabeth said. "Not in front of... you know."**

**I looked at the glassy eyes of the Oracle, and I decided not to argue. We headed downstairs to join the others.**

**I didn't know it then, but it would be the last time I ever visited the attic.**

"Now, that's foreboding," Kylie said.

**The senior counselors had gathered around the Ping-Pong table. Don't ask me why, but the rec room had become the camp's informal headquarters for war councils.**

**When Annabeth, Chiron and I came in, though, it looked more like a shouting match.**

"My favorite kind of match. Are they gonna go full out gladiator?" Ryan asked with interest.

"Ryan, they are Greek," Joel pointed out.

"And…" everyone groaned at Ryan's stupidity.

**Clarisse was still in full battle gear. Her electric spear was strapped to her back. (Actually, her **_**second**_** electric spear, since I'd broken the first one. She called the spear "Maimer." Behind her back, everybody else called it "Lamer.") She had her boar-shaped helmet under on arm and had a knife at her belt.**

**She was in the midst of yelling at Michael Yew,**

Annabeth attempted to keep the shadow from crossing her face.

**The new head counselor for Apollo, which looked kind of funny since Clarisse was a foot taller. Michael had taken over the Apollo cabin after Lee Fletcher died in battle last summer.**

"Yay, more death," Marcus said sarcastically.

**Michael stood four feet six, with a pointy nose and scrunched-up features – either because he scowled so much or because he spent too much time looking down the shaft of an arrow.**

**"It's **_**our**_** loot!" he yelled, standing on his tiptoes so he could get in Clarisse's face. "If you don't like it, you can kiss my quiver!"**

"Is that like kiss my a-" Marcus was cut off as Jax grabbed Gwen's ears.

"She's seven," hissed Hazel, reprimanding.

**Around the table, people were trying not to laugh – the Stoll brothers, Pollux from the Dionysus cabin, Katie Gardner from Demeter.**

**Even Jake Mason, the hastily appointed new counselor from Hephaestus, managed a faint smile.**

**Only Silena Beauregard didn't pay any attention. She sat beside Clarisse and stared vacantly at the Ping-Pong net. Her eyes were red and puffy. A cup of hot chocolate sat untouched in front of her.**

**It seemed unfair that she had to be here. I couldn't believe Clarisse and Michael standing over her, arguing about something as stupid as loot, when she'd just lost Beckendorf.**

**"STOP IT!" I yelled. "What are you guys doing?"**

**Clarisse glowered at me. "Tell Michael not to be a selfish jerk."**

**"Oh, that's perfect, coming from you," Michael said.**

"Oh, gods, this sounds like Dylan from Mars and Fredrick from Apollo," Reyna said, rolling her eyes. Dylan was a Neanderthal, and Fredrick thought he was better than anyone else.

**"The only reason I'm here is to support Silena!" Clarisse shouted. "Otherwise I'd be back in my cabin."**

**"What are you talking about?" I demanded.**

**Pollux cleared his throat. "Clarisse has refused to speak to any us, until her, um, issue is resolved. She hasn't spoken for three days."**

"From what I can tell, that was probably wonderful," Ryan said. Kylie looked at the next sentence in the book and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Hazel asked, quirking an eyebrow. Kylie shook her head through laughs and did not attempt to read until she had settled.

**"It's been wonderful," Travis Stoll said wistfully.**

Everyone laughed now.

"Great minds think alike," Ryan said. Kylie rolled her eyes. She did not think anyone would call her brother a great mind.

**"What issue?" I asked.**

**Clarisse turned to Chiron. "You're in charge, right? Does my cabin get what we want or not?"**

**Chiron shuffled his hooves. "My dear, as I've already explained, Michael is correct. Apollo's cabin has the best claim. Besides, we have more important matters –"**

"Clarisse isn't gonna like that," Reyna observed.

"No, she doesn't," Annabeth said, thinking about how much pain could have been prevented.

**"Sure," Clarisse snapped. "Always more important matters than what Ares needs. We're just supposed to show up and fight when you need us, and not complain?"**

**"That would be nice," Connor Stoll muttered.**

Almost everyone nodded. The Mars kids could be whiny, and, if you say anything about it, you end up in the Colosseum versus said Mars kids.

**Clarisse gripped her knife. "Maybe I should ask Mr. D –"**

**"As you know," Chiron interrupted his tone slightly angry now, "our director, Dionysus, is busy with the war. He can't be bothered with this."**

**"I see," Clarisse said. "And the senior counselors? Are **_**any**_** of you going to side with me?"**

"Nope, not really," Ryan said.

**Nobody was smiling now. None of them met Clarisse's eyes.**

**"Fine." Clarisse turned to Silena. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get into this when you've just lost... Anyway, I apologize. To **_**you**_**. Nobody else."**

**Silena didn't seem to register her words.**

**Clarisse threw her knife on the Ping-Pong table. "All of you can fight this war without Ares. Until I get satisfaction, no one in my cabin is lifting a finger to help. Have fun dying."**

"Did she really say that?" Hazel asked Annabeth. Annabeth nodded sadly. Clarisse had confessed to Annabeth at one point that this was the biggest regret she had.

**The counselors were all too stunned to say anything as Clarisse stormed out of the room.**

**Finally Michael Yew said, "Good riddance."**

"Amen and Hallelujah!" Marcus yelled.

"You could be a Mars kid for all we know," Harley pointed out.

"And losing the Ares kids probably put the Greeks in a bad position," added Joel.

**"Are you kidding?" Katie Gardner protested. "This is a disaster!"**

**"She can't be serious," Travis said. "Can she?"**

**Chiron sighed. "Her pride has been wounded. She'll calm down eventually." But he didn't sound convinced.**

**I wanted to ask what the heck Clarisse was so mad about, but I looked at Annabeth and she mouthed the words **_**I'll tell you later.**_

**"Now," Chiron continued, "if you please, counselors. Percy has brought something I think you should hear. Percy – the Great Prophecy."**

**Annabeth handed me the parchment. It felt dry and old, and my fingers fumbled with the string. I uncurled the paper, trying not to rip it, and began to read:**

"FINALLY!" Dakota said. He wanted to see what the prophecy was like in Greek. Jason had told him the Roman one.

**"**_**A half-blood of the eldest dogs…'**_

"What does that mean? A kid of one of Cerberus' heads or something?" Reyna asked. They all looked at her like they usually did to Ryan. "What?"

"Jax has dyslexia, Rey," Hazel said.

"Oh."

**"Er, Percy?" Annabeth interrupted. "That's**_** gods. **_**Not**_** dogs."**_

"Did I seriously say that?" Jax asked.

"Well, yes," Annabeth said.

"And you really corrected me publicly like that?" Jax asked. Annabeth nodded.

"I always do," Annabeth said with a small smile. She held back the desire to tell him that this is one of the things that _Percy _loved about her the most.

**"Oh, right," I said. Being dyslexic is one mark of a demigod, but sometimes I really hate it. The more nervous I am, the worse my reading gets.**

_**'A half-blood of the eldest gods… shall reach sixteen against all odds…'**_

**I hesitated, staring at the next lines. A cold feeling started in my fingers as if the paper was freezing.**

_**'And see the world in endless sleep,**_

_**The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap.'**_

"What!" everyone but Annabeth yelled. She was holding her breath, trying to keep tears from her eyes.

**Suddenly Riptide seemed heavier in my pocket. A cursed blade? Chiron once told me Riptide had brought many people sorrow. Was it possible my own sword could get me killed?**

Jax felt his hand slip into his pocket. Could Riptide really kill him?

**And how could the world fall into endless sleep, unless that meant death?**

"Morpheus or Somnus," Dakota added. He was more of the think on the Elysium side kind of guy, and death was a bit of a dramatization.

**"Percy," Chiron urged. "Read the rest."**

**My mouth felt like it was full of sand, but I spoke the last two lines.**

_**'A single choice shall end his days.**_

_**Olympus to per – pursue –"**_

**"**_**Preserve,"**_**Annabeth said gently. "It means to **_**save."**_

**"I know what it means," I grumbled. "**_**Olympus to preserve or raze."**_

"Raise is a good thing, isn't it?" Ryan asked.

"R-a-z-e, Idiot," Harley began, "It means…"

"Your name is Kylie, right?" Annabeth asked. Kylie nodded, "Just keep reading."

**The room was silent. Finally Connor Stoll said, "Raise is good, isn't it?"**

**"Not**_** raise,"**_**Silena said. Her voice was hollow, but I was startled to hear her speak at all. "R-a-z-e means **_**destroy**_**."**

**"Obliterate," Annabeth said. "Annihilate. Turn to rubble."**

"Way to lighten the mood, Annabeth," Harley laughed, "Are all Greeks pessimistic?" Annabeth attempted a smile.

"Are all Romans gladiators?" Annabeth asked.

"So that would be a yes," Harley smirked. Annabeth shook her head. Somehow she could not imagine Hazel in an arena fighting off.

**"Got it." My heart felt like lead. "Thanks."**

**Everybody was looking at me – with concern, or pity, or maybe a little fear. Chiron closed his eyes as if he were saying a prayer. In horse form, his head almost brushed the lights in the rec room.**

**"You see now, Percy, why we thought it best not to tell you the whole prophecy? You've had enough on your shoulders –"**

"Yeah and I definitely would not want to know I was about to die," Jax growled.

"You would have just curled up into a little pity ball and never come out," Reyna said. She knew that was what she would have done.

"Nope," Kylie said, "That doesn't sound like Jax. He'd go down fighting, taking out as many dracanae as possible." Annabeth smiled up at Jax. It was good to know that Percy was still in there somewhere. Gwen squeezed her brother's arm.

**"Without realizing I was going to die in the end anyways?" I said. "Yeah, I get it."**

"Yep, still sounds like Jax," Dakota said.

"I think both you two are correct," Annabeth said, "Per- I mean Jax would roll up in pity ball for a little while, and then he would realize the world and people were at stake. That is when he would go down with all the Dracanae." Jax felt his cheeks go slightly red.

**Chiron gazed at me sadly. The guy was three thousand years old. He'd seen hundreds of heroes die. He might not like it, but he was used to it. He probably knew better than to try to reassure me.**

**"Percy," Annabeth said. "You know prophecies always have double meanings. It might not literally mean you die."**

"How many double meanings could that hold?" Jax asked. His voice cracked. Talking about his own death was strange and unnerving.

"You'd be surprised," Annabeth muttered. Only Marcus heard her and gave her a quizzical look. She just shook her head.

**"Sure," I said. "**_**A single choice shall end his days.**_** That has tons of meanings, right?**

**"Maybe we can stop it," Jake Mason offered. "**_**The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap.**_** Maybe we could find the cursed blade and destroy it. Sounds like Kronos'sscythe, right?"**

**I hadn't thought about that, but it didn't matter if the cursed blade was Riptide or Kronos's scythe. Either way, I doubted we could stop the prophecy.**

**A blade was supposed to reap my soul. As a general rule, I preferred not to have my soul reaped.**

"Wow, I'm not so sure I agree," Dakota said sarcastically.

**"Perhaps we should let Percy think about these lines," Chiron said. "He needs time –"**

**"No." I folded up the prophecy and shoved it into my pocket. I felt defiant and angry, though I wasn't sure who I was angry with. "I don't need time. If I die, I die. I can't worry about that, right?"**

"So, I guess Annabeth wins the how he would react," Marcus said wryly.

"Well, she was there," Harley reminded them all.

**Annabeth hands were shaking a little. She wouldn't meet my eyes.**

"Because the prophecy hit me harder when you read it," Annabeth said sadly. Her hands were shaking now, and she had become fascinated with a spot on the ground.

Jax looked down sadly. Why could he not remember like he was supposed to?

**"Let's move on," I said. "We've got other problems. We've got a spy."**

**Michael Yew scowled. "A spy?"**

**I told them what had happened on the **_**Princess Andromeda**_** – how Kronos had known we were coming, how he'd shown me the silver scythe pendant he'd used to communicate with someone at camp.**

**Silena started to cry again and Annabeth put an arm around her shoulders.**

**"Well," Connor Stoll said uncomfortably, "We've suspected there might be a spy for years, right?**

**Somebody kept passing information to Luke – like the location of the Golden Fleece a couple of years ago. It must be somebody who knew him well."**

**Maybe subconsciously, he glanced at Annabeth. She'd known Luke better than anyone, of course, but Connor looked away quickly. "Um, I mean, it could be anybody."**

"How close were you two?" Reyna asked Annabeth.

"He was like a big brother," Annabeth said sadly. _Stupid Luke, _Annabeth thought. She still missed him.

**"Yes." Katie Gardner frowned at the Stoll brothers. She'd disliked them ever since they'd decorated the grass roof of the Demeter cabin with chocolate Easter bunnies. "Like one of Luke's siblings."**

**Travis and Connor both started arguing with her.**

"Do I sense something there?" Marcus asked.

"I don't know," Annabeth said honestly. An evil grin crossed Dakota's face.

"Maybe you're an Aphrodite kid," he suggested. Marcus gagged. Everyone laughed.

**"Stop!" Silena banged the table so hard her hot chocolate spilled. "Charlie's dead and... and you're all arguing like little kids!" She put her head down and began to sob.**

The group sobered.

**Hot chocolate trickled off the Ping-Pong table. Everybody looked ashamed. "She's right," Pollux said at last. "Accusing each other doesn't help."**

**We need to keep our eyes open for a sliver necklace with a scythe charm. If Kronos had one, the spy probably does too."**

**Michael Yew grunted. "We need to find this spy before we plan our next operation. Blowing up the **_**Princess Andromeda**_** won't stop Kronos forever."**

**"No indeed," Chiron said. "In fact his next assault is already on the way."**

**I scowled. "You mean the 'bigger threat' Poseidon mentioned?"**

**He and Annabeth looked at each other like, **_**it's time.**_** Did I mention I hate it when they do that?**

"Well, yeah," Jax said. Everyone looked at Jax like Bacchus had gotten ahold of his mind.

"You realize that you just answered yourself," Joel said.

"I know. I just wanted to make a comment for once," Jax said.

**"Percy," Chiron said, "we didn't want to tell you until you returned to camp. You needed a break with your… mortal friends."**

**Annabeth blushed. It dawned on me that she I'd been hanging out with Rachel, and I felt guilty.**

"Not allowed to have an normal friends, eh?" Dakota asked.

"Not hot, available red-heads," Annabeth replied.

**Then I felt angry that I felt guilty. I was allowed to have friends outside camp, right? It wasn't like…**

"Nice, Jax, If we were back at camp I would so take you in a foot race," Annabeth said.

"Wow, that's threatening," Jax said, causing Annabeth to smirk. This was the first time they had bantered in months.

"Well, considering that you can't even beat Clarisse," Annabeth said.

**"Tell me what's happened," I said.**

**Chiron picked up a bronze goblet from the snack table. He tossed water onto the hot plate were he usually melted nacho cheese. Steam billowed up, making a rainbow in the fluorescent lights.**

**Chiron fished a golden drachma out of his pouch, tossed it through the mist, and muttered, "O Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, show us the threat."**

**The mist shimmered. I saw the familiar image of a smoldering volcano – Mount St. Helens. As I watched, the side of the mountain exploded. Fire, ash, and lava rolled out.**

**A newscaster's voice was saying "- **_**even larger than last year's eruption, and geologists warn that the mountain may not be done."**_

**I knew about last year's eruption. I'd caused it. But this explosion was much worse. The mountain tore itself apart, collapsing inward, and an enormous form rose out of the smoke and lava like it was emerging from a manhole.**

**I hoped the Mist would keep the humans from seeing it clearly, because what I saw would've caused panic and riots across the entire United States.**

**The giant was bigger than anything I'd ever encountered. Even my demigod eyes couldn't make out its exact form through the ash and fire, but it was vaguely humanoid and so huge it could have used the Chrysler Building as a baseball bat.**

**The mountain shook with a horrible rumbling, as if the monster was laughing.**

"Typhon," they all muttered.

**"It's him," I said. "Typhon."**

**I was seriously hoping Chiron would say something food (Is the food the actual word used?), like **_**No, that's our huge friend Leroy! He's going to help us!**_

"Jax, you have one messed up mind," Kylie remarked.

**But no such luck. He simply nodded. "The most horrible monster of all, the biggest single threat the gods ever face. He has been freed under the mountain at last.**

**But this scene if from two days ago. **_**Here**_** is what is happening today." Chiron waved his hand and the image changed. I saw a bank of storm clouds rolling across the Midwest plains.**

**Lightning flickered. Lines of tornadoes destroyed everything in their path – ripping up houses and trailers, tossing cars around like Matchbox toys.**

_**"Monumental floods," **_**an announcer was saying. "**_**Five states declared disaster areas as the freak storm system sweeps east, continuing its path of destruction." **_**The cameras zoomed in on a column of storm bearing down on some Midwest City.**

**I couldn't tell which one. Inside the storm I could see the giant – just small glimpses of his true form: a smoky arm, a dark clawed hand the size of a city block.**

**Other smaller forms darted through the clouds, circling the monster. I saw flashes of light, and I realized the giant was trying to swarm them. I squinted and thought I saw a golden chariot flying into the blackness. The some kind of huge bird – a monstrous owl – dived in to attack the giant.**

**"Are those… the gods?" I said.**

"They are pretty awesome in battle," Marcus noted.

"Unless they look like gnats," commented Joel, "like they do against Typhon."

**"Yes, Percy," Chiron said. "They have been fighting him for days now, trying to slow him down. But Typhoon is marching forward – toward New York. Toward Olympus."**

**I let that sink in. "How long until he gets here?"**

**"Unless the gods can stop him? Perhaps five days. Most of the Olympians are there... except your father, who has a war of his own to fight."**

**"But then who's guarding Olympus?"**

**Connor Stoll shook his head. "If Typhoon gets to New York, it won't matter who's guarding Olympus."**

**I thought about Kronos's words on the ship: **_**I would love to see the terror in your eyes when you realize how I will destroy Olympus.**_

A collective shiver ran through the room.

**Was this what he was talking about: an attack by Typhon? It was sure terrifying enough. But Kronos was always following us, misdirecting our attention. This seemed too obvious for him.**

"I guess there is more than seaweed up there," Annabeth pushed it a little. Jax just raised his eyebrows in response.

**And in my dreams, the golden Titan had talked about several more challenges to come, as if Typhon were only the first.**

**"It's a trick," I said. "We have to warn the gods. Something else is going to happen."**

**Chiron looked at me gravely. "Something worse than Typhoon? I hope not."**

**"We have to defend Olympus," I insisted. "Kronos has another attack planned."**

**"He did," Travis Stoll reminded me, "But you sunk his ship."**

**Everyone was looking at me. They wanted some good news. They wanted to believe that at least I'd give them a little bit of hope.**

**I glanced at Annabeth.**

Annabeth smiled. She liked being his confidant.

**I could tell we were thinking the same thing: What if the **_**Princess Andromeda**_** was a ploy?**

"Hmmm… I was hoping that you were thinking 'Hey, forget about Rachel. I want you,'" teased Annabeth lamely. She was glad no one responded.

**What if Kronos**_**let**_** us blow up the ship so we'd lower our guard? But I wasn't going to say that in front of Silena. Her boyfriend had sacrificed himself for that mission.**

Everyone looked sad again.

**"Maybe you're right," I said, though I didn't believe it.**

**I tried to imagine how things could get much worse. The gods were in the Midwest fighting a huge monster that had almost defeated them once before.**

**Poseidon was under siege and losing a war against the sea Titan Oceanus. Kronos was still out there somewhere. Olympus was virtually undefended. The demigods of Camp Half-Blood were on our own with a spy in our midst.**

"There it is, ladies and gentlemen, the confidence of Jax," Ryan joked in a convincing carnival man voice.

**Oh, and according to the ancient prophecy, I was going to die when I turned sixteen **(Annabeth shuddered)** – which happened to be in five days, the exact same time Typhon was supposed to hit New York. Almost forgot that.**

**"Well," Chiron said, "I think that's enough for the night."**

"Enough? No, I'm sure Jax wanted more bad news," Marcus said. Gwen looked confused.

"No, he didn't," she said sweetly.

"Gwen, I was being sarcastic," Marcus said kindly.

"Oh."

**He waved his hand and the steam dissipated. The stormy battle of Typhoon and the gods disappeared.**

**"That's an understatement," I muttered.**

**And the war council adjourned.**

"That's the end of the chapter, who wants to read next?" asked Kylie.

"I will," Joel said, surprisingly. He took the book from Kylie and opened to the correct chapter.

**

* * *

**

**Okay, so how was it? I'm not so sure how good this is, so please review with your adoration or utter disgust, just no cursing okay?**

**eMMeD :)**


	7. We burn a metal shroud

**A/N: Hi ya'll! I hope you enjoy this quick update! Two more chapters until the one I've been looking forward to! Can't wait!**

**Disclaimer: No, I have not been able to gain the copyright. So I still do not own it!

* * *

**

"We should only read two more chapters and call it a night," Hazel said wisely, looking over at Annabeth, Jax, and Gwen.

"Aww…" Ryan started to complain, but Hazel silenced him with a look.

"Sounds good to me," Jax said simply. He was ready to stop now. Too much embarrassment in one day could not be good for a person.

**CHAPTER FOUR WE BURN A METAL SHROUD**

Annabeth and Jax both looked down. They knew exactly what this meant. A few of the Romans caught on, but the majority gave confused looks but said nothing.

**I dreamed Rachel Elizabeth Dare was throwing darts at my picture.**

"What did you do?" Dakota asked with a smirk.

"Didn't go with her on vacation," Jax supplied the obvious. **  
She was standing in her room . . . Okay, back up. I have to  
explain that Rachel doesn't have a room.**

"What, I thought her parents were rich. Can't they afford a room?" Marcus asked confusedly.

Annabeth, who had been in Rachel's loft a few times, rolled her eyes and grinned.

**She has the top floor of  
her family's mansion, which is a renovated brownstone in  
Brooklyn.**

"Holy…" Ryan said. He was lucky to have a sofa at his house.

"Mercury," ended Kylie, who at least had a room, but it was really small.

**Her "room" is a huge loft with industrial lighting and  
floor-to-ceiling windows. It's about twice as big as my mom's  
apartment.**

All the demigods looked envious, except for Reyna, who had a large room at Pluto's palace.

**Some alt rock was blaring from her paint-covered Bose  
docking system. As far as I could tell, Rachel's only rule about  
music was that no two songs on her iPod could sound the same, and  
they all had to be strange.**

"She sounds like Connor," Harley remarked and then felt a familiar stab of guilt in her stomach.

**She wore a kimono, and her hair was  
frizzy, like she'd been sleeping.**

**Her bed was messed up. Sheets  
hung over a bunch of artist's easels.**

**Dirty clothes and old  
energy bar wrappers were strewn around the floor, but when you've  
got a room that big, the mess doesn't look so bad.**

"And when have you ever minded a mess?" Annabeth asked Jax, who looked at her incredulously, as did the other Romans.

"Jax always keeps the tent clean," Gwen said.

"Hmm… that is surprising," Annabeth said, thinking about how messy his cabin back at their camp was even at this moment. Jax smiled secretively. He was only neat here to be a good example for Gwen.

**Out the windows you could see the entire nighttime skyline of Manhattan.  
The picture she was attacking was a painting of me standing over the giant Antaeus.**

"Who's that?" asked Hazel.

"He's a son of Poseidon and Gaea," Annabeth wrinkled her nose. She had never thought about it before, but that was some serious incest, and she had thought that Poseidon had better taste. She was about to say this, but decided it was not prudent. She could just hear Ryan's follow up comment.

**Rachel had painted it a couple of months ago.  
My expression in the picture was fierce-disturbing, even-so it was hard to tell if I was the good guy or the bad guy, but Rachel said I'd looked just like that after the battle.**

"Oh, gods, Jax you really are pretty scary," Reyna said.

"You should have seen him in real battle. He's is downright demented," Annabeth said, secretly thinking _and hot._

"Hey!" Jax said.

"You can't deny it, Jax," Joel said.

"**Demigods," Rachel muttered as she threw another dart at the canvas."**

"Hey!" Everyone took offense at that.

"**And their stupid quests."**

"I agree with that one," Kylie said.

**Most of the darts bounced off, but a few  
stuck. One hung off my chin like a goatee.**

They all looked at Jax and burst out laughing.

**Someone pounded on her  
bedroom door. "Rachel!" a man shouted. "What in the world are you  
doing? Turn off that-" Rachel scooped up her remote control and  
shut off the music.**

"What do you think came next?" Hazel asked.

"I doubt it was music," Reyna said.

"Racket," suggested Marcus.

"I doubt it," Annabeth said, "Rachel's dad is more creative."

"Drivel?" Harley suggested. They all decided that was most likely.

"**Come in!" Her dad walked in, scowling and  
blinking from the light. He had rust-colored hair a little darker  
than Rachel's.**

**It was smashed on one side like he'd lost a fight  
with his pillow. His blue silk pajamas had "WD" monogrammed on  
the pocket.**

**Seriously, who has monogrammed pajamas?**

"He does," Ryan said innocently. Jax groaned.

"**What is going on?" he demanded. "It's three in the morning." "Couldn't  
sleep," Rachel said. On the painting, a dart fell off my face.  
Rachel hid the rest behind her back, but Mr. Dare noticed. "So.  
. . I take it your friend isn't coming to St. Thomas?"**

"Does he know your name?" Reyna asked. Jax shrugged. How was he supposed to know?

"He does," Annabeth said.

**That's what Mr. Dare called me. Never Percy. Just your friend. Or young  
man if he was talking to me, which he rarely did.**

"Sounds like an elitist," Harley said. She had her fair share of experiences with that type.

**Rachel knit her eyebrows. "I don't know." "We leave in the morning," her dad  
said. "If he hasn't made up his mind yet-" "He's probably not coming, "Rachel said miserably.**

"Awww… leave the hot girl without an answer. Bad move, Jax," Marcus said. Annabeth glared at Marcus, who recoiled.

"**Happy?" Mr. Dare put his hands  
behind his back. He paced the room with a stern expression. I  
imagined he did that in the boardroom of his land development  
company and made his employees nervous.**

"**Are you still having bad dreams?" he asked. "Headaches?" Rachel threw her darts on the  
floor. "I should never have told you about that."**

"**I'm your father," he said. "I'm worried about you."**

"**Worried about the family's reputation," Rachel muttered.**

Annabeth felt bad for her friend. She had it way rougher than Annabeth.

**Her father didn't react-maybe because he'd heard that comment before, or maybe  
because it was true.**

"It's probably true," Annabeth said.

"**We could call Dr. Arkwright," he suggested.**

"**He helped you get through the death of your hamster."**

"Who goes to a therapist for their hamster?" Hazel asked.

**"I was six then, "she said.**

"**And no, Dad, I don't need a therapist. I just . . . "She shook her head helplessly.**

**Her father stopped in front of the windows. He gazed at the New York  
skyline as if he owned it-which wasn't true. He only owned part  
of it.**

"She is from that Dare family!" Marcus asked. Annabeth nodded.

"**It will be good for you to get away," he decided. "You've had some unhealthy influences."**

"**I'm not going to Clarion Ladies Academy," Rachel said. And my friends are none  
of your business."**

**Mr. Dare smiled, but it wasn't a warm smile.  
It was more like, Someday you'll realize how silly you sound.**

"**Try to get some sleep," he urged. "We'll be at the beach by  
tomorrow night. It will be fun."**

"**Fun," Rachel repeated. "Lots of fun." Her father exited the room. He left the door open behind him.**

**Rachel stared at the portrait of me. Then she walked  
to the easel next to it, which was covered in a sheet.**

"**I hope they're dreams," she said. She uncovered the easel. On it was a  
hastily sketched charcoal, but Rachel was a good artist.**

**The picture was definitely Luke as a young boy.**

Annabeth's eyes widened. She had no clue that Rachel had visions at this point.

**He was about nine years old, with a wide grin and no scar on his face. I had no  
idea how Rachel could've known what he looked like back then, but  
the portrait was so good I had a feeling she wasn't guessing.**

"H-how could she know something like that?" Dakota asked, shaken.

**From what I knew about Luke's life (which wasn't much), the  
picture showed him just before he'd found out he was a half-blood  
and had run away from home.**

Annabeth nodded her head. That was about right.

**Rachel stared at the portrait. Then she uncovered the next easel. This picture was even more disturbing. It showed the Empire State Building with lightning  
all around it. In the distance a dark storm was brewing, with a  
huge hand coming out of the clouds.**

A shudder moved through the group.

**At the base of the building a crowd had gathered . . . But it wasn't a normal crowd of tourists and pedestrians. I saw spears, javelins, and banners the trappings of an army.**

"**Percy," Rachel muttered, as if she knew I  
was listening, "what is going on?"**

**The dream faded, and the last thing I remember was wishing I could answer her question. The next morning, I wanted to call her, but there were no phones at  
camp.**

**Dionysus and Chiron didn't need a landline. They just  
called Olympus with an Iris-message whenever they needed  
something.**

**And when demigods use cell phones, the signals agitate  
every monster within a hundred miles. It's like sending up a  
flare: Here I am! Please rearrange my face!**

"Well, duh," Reyna said.

**Even within the safe  
borders of camp, that's not the kind of advertising we wanted to  
do. Most demigods (except for Annabeth and a few others) don't  
even own cell phones.**

The Romans looked at Annabeth with mingled incredulity and respect.

"My dad insisted," Annabeth said. So what if it was a lie? Jax could not call her out.

Jax quirked an eyebrow. Though it was a good lie, Jax knew it was just that, a lie.

**And I definitely couldn't tell Annabeth,  
"Hey, let me borrow your phone so I can call Rachel!"**

Annabeth rolled her eyes. It was the truth. She probably would have stabbed him through.

**To make the call, I would've had to leave camp and walk several miles to the  
nearest convenience store. Even if Chiron let me go, by the time  
I got there, Rachel would've been on the plane to St. Thomas. I  
ate a depressing breakfast by myself at the Poseidon table.**

**I kept staring at the fissure in the marble floor where two years  
ago Nico had banished a bunch of bloodthirsty skeletons to the  
Underworld.**

"That sounds like a freaking awesome power!" Marcus said, his eyes alit with wonder.

"Is something wrong with him?" Annabeth asked. Dakota shrugged.

"He's like that every time he hears about a power," he said.

**The memory didn't exactly improve my appetite. After breakfast, Annabeth and I walked down to inspect the cabins.  
Actually, it was Annabeth's turn for inspection. My morning chore  
was to sort through reports for Chiron. But since we both hated  
our jobs, we decided to do them together so it wouldn't be so heinous.**

"Yeah, that's it," Dakota said with a sly grin. Jax and Annabeth attempted to hide discomfort.

**We started at the Poseidon cabin, which was basically  
just me. I'd made my bunk bed that morning (well, sort of) and  
straightened the Minotaur horn on the wall, so I gave myself a  
four out of five. Annabeth made a face.**

"Wow, you really were bad," Hazel laughed. She had never given Jax less than a four out of five on her inspections.

"**You're being generous." She used the end of her pencil to pick up an old pair of running shorts. I snatched them away. "Hey, give me a break. I don't have  
Tyson cleaning up after me this summer."**

**"Three out of five, "Annabeth said.**

"Ooh!" Ryan and Marcus chorused. Jax tried to shake it off with a simple roll of his eyes, but he felt his cheeks go scarlet.

**I knew better than to argue, so we moved along. I tried to skim through Chiron's stack of reports as we walked.**

**There were messages from demigods, nature spirits, and satyrs all around the country, writing about the latest monster activity. They were pretty depressing, and my ADHD brain did not like concentrating on depressing stuff.**

"Who would?" almost everyone said.

**Little battles were raging everywhere. Camp recruitment was down to zero. Satyrs were having trouble finding new demigods and bringing them to Half-Blood Hill because so many monsters were roaming the country.**

**Our friend Thalia, who led the Hunters of Artemis,**

"Isn't that Jason's sister's name?" Reyna asked. Annabeth suppressed a grin and tried to look as gormless as everyone else at the second.

"Only you would know," Harley snickered, and she received a deluxe 'Shut up' glare from Reyna.

**hadn't been heard from in months, and if Artemis knew what had happened to them, she wasn't sharing information.**

**We visited the Aphrodite cabin, which of course got a five out of five.**

**The beds were perfectly made. The clothes in everyone's footlockers were color coordinated. Fresh flowers bloomed on the windowsills. I wanted to dock a point because the whole place reeked of designer perfume, but Annabeth ignored me.**

"Gods, imagine being a guy in there," Marcus said. All the guys shuddered.

"I prefer motor-oil to perfume," Joel mumbled before beginning to read again.

"**Great job as usual, Silena, "  
Annabeth said. Silena nodded listlessly. The wall behind her bed  
was decorated with pictures of Beckendorf. She sat on her bunk  
with a box of chocolates on her lap, and I remembered that her  
dad owned a chocolate store in the Village, which was how he'd  
caught the attention of Aphrodite. "You want a bonbon?" Silena  
asked.**

"**My dad sent them. He thought-he thought they might cheer  
me up."**

"Poor Silena," muttered Annabeth.

"**Are they any good?" I asked. She shook her head. "They  
taste like cardboard." I didn't have anything against cardboard,  
so I tried one.**

"of course you don't," Thalia rolled her eyes at Percy who stuck out his tongue before grinning at her.

**Annabeth passed. We promised to see Silena later  
and kept going. As we crossed the commons area, a fight broke out  
between the Ares and Apollo cabins. Some Apollo campers armed  
with firebombs flew over the Ares cabin in a chariot pulled by two pegasi. I'd never seen the chariot before, but it looked like  
a pretty sweet ride. Soon, the roof of the Ares cabin was  
burning, and naiads from the canoe lake rushed over to blow water  
on it.**

**Then the Ares campers called down a curse, and all the  
Apollo kids' arrows turned to rubber. The Apollo kids kept  
shooting at the Ares kids, but the arrows bounced off.**

**Two archers ran by, chased by an angry Ares kid who was yelling in  
poetry: "Curse me, eh? I'll make you pay! / I don't want to rhyme  
all day!"**

Everyone but Annabeth burst out laughing. "It got annoying fast," she said.

**Annabeth sighed. "Not that again. Last time Apollo  
cursed a cabin, it took a week for the rhyming couplets to wear  
off.**

"**I shuddered. Apollo was god of poetry as well as archery,  
and I'd heard him recite in person. I'd almost rather yet shot by  
an arrow.**

"You shouldn't say things like that aloud," Reyna remarked.

"I didn't, I thought it," Jax said, "Joel said it out loud." Reyna went slightly red.

"Yeah, thanks for that, Jackson. If the book begins rhyming, you'll know why," Joel grumbled.

"**What are they fighting about anyway?" I asked.  
Annabeth ignored me while she scribbled on her inspection scroll, giving both cabins a one out of five.**

**I found myself staring at her,**

"Whatcha lookin' at, Jax?" Ryan asked. There were a few catcalls.

"What? She's hot," Jax replied, forgetting for a moment that Annabeth was in the room. A small smile pulled itself across her face, but she said nothing. She'd talk to Jax later.

**which was stupid since I'd seen her a billion times. She and  
I were about the same height this summer, which was a relief.**

"And now, I believe, Jax is taller," Kylie observed.

"Which is a huge relief," Annabeth said.

"Yeah having a crush on a guy who is shorter than you is always weird," Reyna said. Jason had been, up until two summers ago, shorter than Reyna, who was 5'7.

**Still, she seemed so much more mature.**

**It was kind of intimidating. I mean, sure, she'd always been cute, **

Annabeth bit back a smile as a chorus of "Awwws!" lit through the room

**but she was starting to be seriously beautiful.**

Another chorus sounded around the room, and the smile on Annabeth's face became full grown.

**Finally she said, "That flying chariot." **

**"What?" **

**"You asked what they were fighting about." **

**"Oh. Oh, right." **

**"They captured it in a raid in Philadelphia last week. Some of Luke's demigods were there with  
that flying chariot.**

Suddenly a bad thought crept into Annabeth's head. Kronos' color was purple, just like the Romans. _What if… _Annabeth stopped herself there.

**The Apollo cabin seized it during the battle, but the Ares cabin led the raid. So they've been fighting about who gets it ever since."**

**We ducked as Michael Yew's chariot dive-bombed an Ares camper. The Ares camper tried to stab him and cuss him out in rhyming couplets. **

"How would that sound exactly?" Kylie asked with no real desire for a reply. Of course, Ryan, being Ryan, had an answer.

"It would be like 'Buck, you…" Ryan was cut off.

"Not in front of Gwen," growled Jax. Gwen looked disappointed.

**He was pretty creative about rhyming those cuss words.**

"Yeah, better than Ryan at least, right, Annabeth?" Harley asked. Annabeth just smiled.

"**We're fighting for our lives," I said, "and they're bickering about some stupid chariot."**

"You said it," Jax muttered. He received more quizzical looks.

"**They'll get over it," Annabeth said. "Clarisse will come to her senses." I wasn't so sure. That didn't sound like the Clarisse I knew.**

**I scanned more reports and we inspected a few more cabins. Demeter got a four. Hephaestus got a three and probably should've gotten lower, but with Beckendorf being gone  
and all, we cut them some slack.**

**Hermes got a two, which was no surprise. All campers who didn't know their godly parentage were  
shoved into the Hermes cabin, and since the gods were kind of forgetful, that cabin was always overcrowded.**

"Just wonderful," Dakota and Marcus groaned.

**Finally we got to Athena's cabin, which was orderly and clean as usual. Books were straightened on the shelves. The armor was polished. Battle maps and blueprints decorated the walls. Only Annabeth's bunk was messy.**

Everyone raised their eyebrows at Annabeth.

**It was covered in papers, and her silver laptop was still running.**

"And you called me a slob," Jax whispered with a smirk.

**"Vlacas," Annabeth muttered, which was basically calling herself an idiot in Greek. Her second-in-command, Malcolm, suppressed a smile. "Yeah, um . . . We cleaned everything else. Didn't know if it was safe to move your notes. " That was probably smart. Annabeth had a bronze knife that she  
reserved just for monsters and people who messed with her stuff.**

Annabeth grabbed the knife at her side and sighed. She was going to have to hear about Luke dying.

**Malcolm grinned at me. "We'll wait outside while you finish inspection."**

Annabeth suppressed a smirk, but Harley saw it.

"What's up?" Harley asked.

"Nothing," Annabeth said, thinking about the other time she and Percy were left alone and Malcolm walked in.

**The Athena campers filed out the door while Annabeth cleaned up her bunk. I shuffled uneasily and pretended to go through some more reports. Technically, even on inspection, it was against camp rules for two campers to be . . . Like, alone in a cabin. That rule had come up a lot when Silena and Beckendorf started dating.**

"And the likelihood of the rule coming up a lot after you two started dating is?" Marcus asked.

"Never," Annabeth said. They usually made out in the lake.

**And I know some of you might be thinking, aren't all demigods related on the godly side, and doesn't that make dating gross?**

The whole tent burst out laughing.

"Just disgusting," Reyna said. If gods had DNA, Jason would be her uncle.

**But the thing is, the godly side of your family doesn't count, genetically speaking, since gods don't have DNA.**

**A demigod would never think about dating someone who had the same godly parent. Like two kids from Athena cabin? No way.**

"I don't know. Malcolm is kind of cute," Annabeth said, watching for Jax's reaction out of the corner of her eye. Jax looked ready to vomit, but so did everyone else.

**But a daughter of Aphrodite and a son of Hephaestus? **

"Has anyone else noticed the cliché in that?" Hazel asked. When no one responded, Hazel shrugged her shoulders and said, "Guess not."

**They're not related. So it's no problem. Anyway, for some strange  
reason I was thinking about this as I watched Annabeth straighten up.**

"You. Like. Her." Dakota spelled out to the book.

"Dak, honey, hate to break it to you, but the book can't hear you," Hazel said.

**She closed her laptop, which had been given to her as a gift from the inventor Daedalus last summer.**

"Daedalus? As in the Daedalus?" Joel asked.

"Don't be ridiculous, Joel, Daedalus was ancient Greek," Kylie said.

"Well actually…" Annabeth began.

"What?" Joel said, "You met _the Daedalus!" _No one had ever seen Joel this excited.

"Yeah, he died the summer before this book," Annabeth said. A picture of a strange bird tattoo flashed before Percy's mind eye.

**I cleared my throat. "So. . . Get any good info from that thing?" **

**"Too much," she said. "Daedalus had so many ideas, I could spend fifty years just  
trying to figure them all out. "**

"So, how's it coming," Joel asked. This was his field of expertise.

"We've made seven of his inventions, but they were put on hold for a larger one," Annabeth said. This piqued Joel's interest even more, but Annabeth just waved her hand, " No more questions right now."

**"Yeah, " I muttered. "That would be fun. " She shuffled her papers-mostly drawings of buildings and a bunch of handwritten notes. I knew she wanted to be an architect someday, but I'd learned the hard way not to ask what she was working on.**

"Jerk," Annabeth said under her breath.

"Architect is a great job," Joel said approvingly.

"What's an Arkitickt?" Gwen asked, mangling the word.

"I want to build monuments and big buildings," Annabeth explained.

"Oh."

**She'd start talking about angles and load-bearing joints until my eyes glazed over. "You know . . . " She brushed her hair behind her ear, like she does when she's nervous. "This whole thing with Beckendorf and Silena. It kind of makes you think. About . . . What's important. About losing people who are important. "**

"Hint, hint," Dakota said to a clueless looking Jax.

**I nodded. My brain started seizing on little random details, like the fact that she was still wearing those silver owl earrings from her dad, who was this brainiac military history professor in San Francisco.**

Jax's mind was doing about the same thing at that second. He thought about how smart this girl was, about how soft her lips look, and suddenly an image of the two of them underwater, making out, entered his mind. A maniac smile of pleasure crossed his face, causing everyone to stare.

"What has you so pleased, Fish face?" Harley asked. Jax wiped the smile off his face and gave an unconvincing "Nothing."

**"Urn, yeah," I stammered. "Like . . . Is everything cool with your family?"  
**"Jax, don't take this the wrong way, but you are a retard," Ryan said.

"Is there a right way to take that?" Jax asked.

"Come on, even I knew what she wanted," Ryan said.

**Okay, really stupid question, but hey, I was nervous. Annabeth looked disappointed, but she nodded. "My dad wanted to take me to Greece this summer," she said wistfully. "I've always wanted to see-" "The Parthenon," I remembered.**

"Oh, you're so sweet!" Hazel said as the other girls awed.

**She managed a smile. "Yeah." **

**"That's okay. There'll be other summers, right?" As soon as I  
said it, I realized it was a boneheaded comment.**

"Well that was rather stupid," Kylie remarked.

"Not really," Annabeth said wistfully, thinking about the three months they spent together as a couple, and how, though it was because of the Giants, she and Jax would be going to Greece this summer.

**I was facing the end of my days. Within a week, Olympus might fall. If the Age of the Gods really did end, the world as we knew it would dissolve into chaos. Demigods would be hunted to extinction. There would be no more summers for us.**

"Wow, you are pessimistic," stated Joel.

"And you wouldn't be in my situation," Jax said.

"Joel could be the most happy-go-lucky person on the planet and no one would know," Kylie said.

"I'm not," he assured them all before restarting to read.

**Annabeth stared at her inspection scroll. "Three out five," she muttered, "for a sloppy head counselor. Come on. Let's finish your reports and get back to Chiron." On the way to the Big House, we read the last report, which was handwritten on a maple leaf from a satyr in Canada. If possible, the note made me feel even worse. **

"'**Dear Grover, '" I read aloud." 'Woods outside Toronto attacked by giant evil  
badger. Tried to do as you suggested and summon power of Pan. No  
effect. Many naiads' trees destroyed. Retreating to Ottawa. Please advise. Where are you? -Gleeson Hedge, protector."**

**Annabeth grimaced. "You haven't heard anything from him? Even with your empathy link?" I shook my head dejectedly.**

"That poses an interesting question," Harley said.

"What is that?" Reyna asked vaguely.

"Why hasn't Grover found Jax?" Harley explained. No one had an answer.

**Ever since last summer when the god Pan had died, our friend Grover had been drifting farther and farther away. The Council of Cloven Elders treated him like an outcast, but Grover still traveled all over the East Coast, trying to spread the word about Pan and convince nature spirits to protect their own little bits of the wild.** **He'd only come back to camp a few times to see his girlfriend, Juniper.**

"I'm guessing Juniper is literally a juniper," Hazel said.

"What else would she be?" asked Ryan.

"I mean the plant," Hazel said. She could usually tell if someone were a plant.

"Yes, she is," Annabeth affirmed.

**Last I'd heard he was in Central Park organizing the dryads, but nobody had seen or heard from him in two months. We'd tried to send Iris-messages. They never got through. I had an empathy link with Grover, so I hoped I would know if anything bad happened to him.**

**Grover had told me one time that if he died, the empathy link might kill me too.**

Everyone stared at Jax. "You need to get that shut down," Joel said.

"I think it is now," Jax replied.

**But I wasn't sure if that was still true or not. I wondered if he was still in Manhattan. Then I thought about my dream of Rachel's sketch-dark clouds closing on the city, an army gathered around the Empire State Building.  
"Annabeth. "**

"Jax, you really are an idiot," Reyna said. This was like when Jason sent his current girlfriends to her for advice.

"No, he isn't," Gwen said defensively.

"Gwen, I only meant that Jax has no clue how to handle girls," Reyna said.

"Oh, that's true," Gwen said, nodding adamantly.

**I stopped her by the tetherball court. I knew I was asking for trouble, but I didn't know who else to trust. Plus, I'd always depended on Annabeth for advice.**

Annabeth was glad of that.

**"Listen, I had this dream about, um, Rachel . . . " I told her the whole thing, even the weird picture of Luke as a child. For a while she didn't say anything. Then she rolled up her inspection scroll so tight she ripped it.**

Jax grimaced. Annabeth being mad at you could not be good.

**"What do you want me to say?"**

"**I'm not sure. You're the best strategist I know. If you were Kronos planning this war, what would you do next?"**

**"I'd use Typhon as a distraction. Then I'd hit Olympus directly, while the gods were in the West. "**

**"Just like in Rachel's picture."**

**"Percy, " she said, her voice tight, "Rachel is just a mortal."**

"Oooh," Ryan said, and Annabeth blushed.

**"But what if her dream is true? Those other Titans-they said Olympus would be destroyed in a matter of days. They said they had plenty of other challenges. And what's with that picture of Luke as a kid-" "We'll just have to be ready. "**

**"How?" I said. "Look at our camp. We can't even stop fighting each other. And I'm supposed to get my stupid soul reaped."**

"Pessimist," Kylie said in a singsong voice.

**She threw down her scroll. "I knew we shouldn't have shown you the prophecy." Her voice was angry and hurt. "All it did was scare you. You run away from things when you're scared. "**

"Ouch!" Dakota said. Annabeth could feel Jax's glare. She turned around to see Gwen glaring too.

"Jax is not a scaredy-cat," Gwen said firmly to Annabeth.

"I'm sorry," Annabeth said to the both of them.

**I stared at her, completely stunned. "Me? Run away?" She got right in my face.**

**"Yes, you. You're a coward, Percy Jackson!" We were nose to nose. Her eyes were red, and I suddenly realized that when she called me a coward, maybe she wasn't talking about the prophecy.**

"I wasn't," Annabeth said quietly. Hades, reliving this hurt.

**"If you don't like our chances, " she said, "Maybe you should go on that vacation with Rachel. " "Annabeth-" **

**"If you don't like our company."**

**"That's not fair!"**

Annabeth felt a jab in her chest. She was so relieved that this was not when Percy disappeared.

**She pushed past me and stormed toward the strawberry fields. She hit the tetherball as she passed and sent it spinning angrily around the pole. I'd like to say my day got better from there. Of course it didn't. That afternoon we had an assembly at the campfire to burn Beckendorf's burial shroud and say our good-byes.**

**Even the Ares and Apollo cabins called a temporary truce to attend. Beckendorf's shroud was made out of metal links, like chain mail. I didn't see how it would burn, but the Fates must've been helping out. The metal melted in the fire and turned to golden smoke, which rose into the sky. The campfire flames always reflected the campers' moods, and today they burned black.**

**I hoped Beckendorf's spirit would end up in Elysium.**

"I'm pretty sure he did," Marcus said sadly.

**Maybe he'd even choose to be reborn and try for Elysium in three different lifetimes so he could reach the Isles of the Blest, which was like the Underworld's ultimate party headquarters. If anyone deserved it, Beckendorf did. Annabeth left without a word to me.**

**Most of the other campers drifted off to their afternoon activities. I just stood there staring at the dying fire. Silena sat nearby crying, while Clarisse and her boyfriend, Chris Rodriguez, tried to comfort her. Finally I got up the nerve to walk over. "Hey, Silena, I'm really sorry. " She sniffled. Clarisse glared at me, but she always glares at everyone.**

"That is a fair assessment," Annabeth said as everyone laughed. Afterwards, she felt bad. Clarisse had been really nice and understanding since Percy had disappeared

**Chris would barely look at me. He'd been one of Luke's men until Clarisse rescued him from the Labyrinth last summer, and I guess he still felt guilty about it.**

**I cleared my throat. "Silena, you know Beckendorf carried your picture. He looked at it right before we went into battle. You meant a lot to him. You made the last year the best of his life." Silena sobbed. **

**"Good work, Percy," Clarisse muttered. **

**"No, it's all right," Silena said. "Thank . . . Thank you, Percy. I should go. "**

**"You want company?"Clarisse asked. Silena shook her head and ran off.**

**"She's stronger than she looks, " Clarisse muttered, almost to herself. "She'll survive. "**

**"You could help with that, "I suggested. "You could honor Beckendorf's memory by fighting with us. "**

**Clarisse went for her knife, but it wasn't there anymore. She'd thrown it on the Ping-Pong table in the Big House.**

"And you should be glad of that," Annabeth stated.

**"Not my problem, " she growled. "My cabin doesn't get honor, I don't fight. "**

**I noticed she wasn't speaking in rhymes. Maybe she hadn't been around when her cabin mates got cursed, or maybe she had a way of breaking the spell.**

"I wonder which it was," Hazel said.

"The former," Annabeth informed the girl.

**With a chill, I wondered if Clarisse could be Kronos's spy** **at camp.**

"It might be possible," Kylie said.

"I don't think so. By keeping them out of the fight, Kronos loses insight on the demigod battle plan," Joel explained, "It's more likely that it's that Chris guy. He was part of Kronos' legion, maybe he was purposefully sent to the Greeks. He is capable of both keeping the Ares cabin out of the warand himself in it."

"Seems likely," Harley said.

**Was that why she was keeping her cabin out of the fight? But as much as I disliked Clarisse, spying for the Titans didn't** **seem like her style.**

**"All right," I told her. "I didn't want to bring this up, but you owe me one. You'd be rotting in a Cyclops's cave in the Sea of Monsters if it wasn't for me." She clenched her jaw.**

**"Any other favor, Percy. Not this. The Ares cabin has been dissed too many times. And don't think I don't know what people say about me behind my back. "**

"Does she still owe me that favor?" Jax asked.

"No," Annabeth thought Clarisse helping her through this rough time was favor enough.

"Aww," Jax said.

**I wanted to say, well, it's true**

"Be glad Clarisse can't read minds," Annabeth said, laughing as Jax shivered.

**But I bit my tongue. "So, what you're just going to let Kronos crush us?" I asked.**

"That is not exactly biting your tongue," Harley pointed out. Jax shrugged.

**"If you want my help so bad, tell Apollo to give us the chariot. "**

"That does not seem likely," Reyna pointed out.

"No duh," sneered Harley.

**She charged me, but Chris got between us. "Whoa, guys, " he said. "Clarisse, you know, maybe he's got a point. " **

"He doesn't sound much like a spy to me," Reyna said. Joel shrugged.

"He still could be."

**She sneered at him. "Not you too!" She trudged off with Chris at her heels. **

**"Hey, wait! I just meant-Clarisse, wait!" I watched the last sparks from Beckendorf's fire curl into the afternoon sky. Then I headed toward the sword-fighting arena. I needed a break, and I wanted to see an old friend.**

"The chapter's done," Joel said. He threw the book to Ryan, who caught it clumsily.

"I guess I'll read," Ryan shrugged. He opened the book to the next chapter.

* * *

**Hope ya'll enjoyed it! Oh, I have a new story/ oneshot about Annabeth up if you are interested! As always, R&R!**

**eMMeD :)**


	8. I Drive my Dog into a Tree

**A/N: Smile! It's an update! I hope it is satisfactory! I love that word Satisfactory! Oh, gods, I'm tired! But it is a long weekend. Hopefully I'll have another one up before I finish this weekend.**

**Disclaimer: Do not feel like being creative tonight, so, simply put, I do not own this... but I am working on my own Greek myth fiction book!

* * *

**

**CHAPTER FIVE I DRIVE MY DOG INTO A TREE **

"So, you have a dog," Kylie observed.

"Yeah, I guess," Jax shrugged.

"What kind is it?" Reyna asked Annabeth. She did not respond. This was too good to spoil.

**Mrs. O'Leary saw me before I saw her, which was a pretty good trick considering she's the size of a garbage truck. I walked into the arena, and a wall of darkness slammed into me. "WOOF!"**

"Big dog," Joel muttered. Annabeth nodded. Mrs. O'Leary was rather big.

**The next thing I knew I was flat on the ground with a huge paw on my chest and an oversize Brillo-pad tongue licking my face. "Ow!" I said. "Hey, girl. Good to see you too. Ow!" It took a few minutes for Mrs. O'Leary to calm down and get off me. By then I was pretty much drenched in dog drool.**

**She wanted to play fetch, so I picked up a bronze shield and tossed it across the arena. By the way, Mrs. O'Leary is the world's only friendly hellhound.**

"A hellhound!" all of the Roman's yelled.

"Where is she now?" Jax asked

"With Nico," Annabeth said, "Mrs. O'Leary's second favorite human."  
"That's good," Jax said.

"How aren't you more freaked out?" Gwen asked her brother. Jax shrugged.

"It's just not that surprising really," Jax said.

"Not that surprising, he says," Reyna muttered, rolling her eyes.

**I kind of inherited her when her previous owner died.**

"Who was her previous owner?" Hazel asked a sad look in her eyes.

"Daedalus," Annabeth sighed.

**She lived at camp, but Beckendorf . . . Well, Beckendorf used to take care of her whenever I was gone. He had smelted Mrs. O'Leary's favorite bronze chewing bone.**

**He'd forged her collar with the little smiley face and a crossbones name tag. Next to me, Beckendorf had been her best friend. Thinking about that made me sad all over  
again, but I threw the shield a few more times because Mrs. O'Leary insisted.** **Soon she started barking-a sound slightly louder than artillery gun-like she needed to go for a walk. The other campers didn't think it was funny when she went to the bathroom in the arena.**

"I can't imagine why," Harley said sarcastically, "Who wouldn't want to land in hellhound feces when they are already losing?"

**It had caused more than one unfortunate slip-and-slide accident. So I opened the gates of the arena, and she bounded straight toward the woods. I jogged after her, not too concerned that she was getting ahead. Nothing in the woods could threaten Mrs. O'Leary.**

"Hmm… I want a hellhound," Ryan interrupted his reading with a bright grin.

Joel groaned. He had hoped that giving Ryan the book would stop his annoying commentary.

**Even the dragons and giant scorpions ran away when she came close.**

**When I finally tracked her down, she wasn't using the facilities. She was in a familiar clearing where the Council of Cloven Elders had once put Grover on trial.**

**The place didn't look so good. The grass had turned yellow. The three topiary thrones had lost all their leaves. But that's not what surprised me. In the middle of the glade stood the weirdest trio I'd ever seen: Juniper the tree nymph, Nico di Angelo, and a very old, very fat satyr.**

"Nico's the Hades kid, right?" Marcus asked. Annabeth nodded. "That is weird."

**Nico was the only one who didn't seem freaked out by Mrs. O'Leary's appearance. He looked pretty much like I'd seen him in my dream-an aviator's jacket, black jeans, and a T-shirt with dancing skeletons on it, like one of those Day of the Dead pictures.**

"Sounds hot," Harley muttered.

"He's only thirteen," Annabeth said, and Harley grimaced.

**His Stygian iron sword hung at his side. He was only twelve, but he looked much older and sadder.**

"Why's he so sad?" asked Gwen.

"His sister died," Annabeth said.

"Oh," Gwen said sadly, holding Jax's shirt tightly. She had no idea what she would do if Jax died. Jax ruffled the little girl's hair.

**He nodded when he saw me, and then went back to scratching Mrs. O'Leary's ears.**

**She sniffed his legs like he was the most interesting thing since rib-eye steaks. Being the son of Hades, he'd probably been traveling in all sorts of hellhound-friendly places. The old satyr didn't look nearly so happy.**

**"Will someone-what is this underworld creature doing in my forest!"**

"She clearly is there to find Faunus and kill him," Reyna said rolling her eyes. Annabeth was not familiar with Faunus, but she had her suspicions of who he must be.

**He waved his arms and trotted on his hooves as if the grass were hot. "You there, Percy Jackson! Is this your beast?"**

"Beast," mocked Hazel, "She sounds more like a bunny than a dragon." Everyone looked at Hazel strangely, and Reyna laughed.

**"Sorry, Leneus," I said. "That's your name, right?" The satyr rolled his eyes. His fur was dust-bunny gray, and a spider web grew between his horns. His belly would've made him an invincible bumper car.**

"Who wants to attempt that theory?" Ryan asked. Almost everyone raised their hands.

"You have weird thoughts, Jax," Reyna observed.

"So I have been told," Jax muttered

**"Well, of course I'm Leneus. Don't tell me you've forgotten a member of the Council so quickly.**

**Now, call off your beast!" "WOOF!" Mrs. O'Leary said happily. The old satyr gulped. "Make it go away! Juniper, I will not help you under these circumstances!"**

**Juniper turned toward me.**

**She was pretty in a dryad-y way, **

"What does that even mean?" Kylie asked.

"She was a hot Dryad, duh, Kylie!" Ryan said.

**with her purple gossamer dress and her elfish face, but her eyes were green-**

**Tinted with chlorophyll from crying.**

"Awww," all the girls said.

**"Percy," she sniffled. "I was just asking about Grover. I **_**know**_** something happened. He wouldn't stay gone this long if he wasn't in trouble. I was hoping that Leneus-" **

**"I told you!" the satyr protested. "You are better off without that traitor."**

"Hey! Grover is not a traitor!" Jax yelled at the book. He had a strange desire to protect Grover. Everyone looked at him.

"Did you remember something?" Hazel asked. Jax shook his head.

"I just know that he is not a traitor," Jax said. It was the same way Jax knew he liked Annabeth.

Annabeth felt a smile cross her face.

**Juniper stamped her foot." He is not a traitor! He's the bravest satyr ever, and I want to know where he is!"**

Ryan burst at laughing.

"She sure is loyal," Dakota said.

_**"WOOF!"**_

**Leneus's knees started knocking. **(Thalia and Clarisse snorted loudly.)** "I ...I won't answer questions with this hellhound sniffing my tail!" Nico looked like he was trying to not crack up. "I'll walk the dog," he volunteered.**

"Who wouldn't laugh?" asked Marcus, who was, like everyone else laughing hard.

**He whistled, and Mrs. O'Leary bounded after him to the far end of the grove.**

**Leneus huffed indignantly and brushed the twigs off his shirt. "Now, as I was trying to explain, young lady, your boyfriend has not sent **_**any **_**reports since we voted him into exile."**

Annabeth burst out laughing. No one even asked why.

**"You **_**tried **_**to vote him into exile," I corrected. "Chiron and Dionysus stopped you."**

**"Bah! They are **_**honorary **_**Council members. It wasn't a proper vote."**

Everyone was laughing now. "This faun is an idiot," Joel perceived.

**"I'll tell Dionysus you said that." Leneus paled. **

**"I only meant ...Now see here, Jackson. This is none of your business."**

"Even if this wasn't any of Jax's business…" Reyna began.

"Which it is, seeing as Grover is his best friend," Harley added.

"Yeah, well, when has Jax ever kept out of it?" Reyna asked.

"True," Annabeth said.

**"Grover's my friend," I said. "He wasn't lying to you about Pan' death. I saw it myself. You were just too scared to accept the truth." Leneus's lips quivered.**

"Faunus is dead!" everyone yelled. Annabeth nodded.  
**"No! Grover's a liar and good riddance. We're better off without him."**

"That's harsh," Dakota pointed out.

"I feel sorry for Juniper," Hazel said.

**I pointed at the withered thrones. "If things are going so well, where are your friends? Looks like your Council hasn't been meeting lately."**

**"Maron and Silenus ...I ...I'm sure they'll be back," he said, but I could hear the panic in his voice. "They're just taking some time off to think. It's been a very unsettling year.**

"You can say that again," Reyna muttered.

"It's been a very unsettling year," Ryan repeated, smirking.

**"It's going to get a lot more unsettling," I promised. "Leneus, we **_**need **_**Grover. There's got to be a way you can find him with your magic."**

**The old satyr's eye twitched. "I'm telling you, I've heard nothing. Perhaps he's dead."**

"No, he isn't," Jax smiled. He would know if that were true.

**Juniper choked back a sob. "He's not dead," I said. "I can feel that much."**

**"Empathy links," Leneus said disdainfully. "Very unreliable."**

"Obviously," Joel muttered.

**"So ask around," I insisted. "Find him. There's a war coming. Grover was preparing the nature spirits."**

**"Without my permission! And it's not **_**our **_**war."**

"The fauns here are smarter," Kylie said.

**I grabbed him by the shirt, which seriously wasn't like me, but the stupid old goat was making me mad.**

"That sounds just like Jax to me," Reyna muttered, thinking about what she had endured the previous two weeks.

**"Listen, Leneus. When Kronos attacks, he's going to have **_**packs **_**of hellhounds. He's going to destroy everything in his path-mortals, gods, demigods. Do you think he'll let the satyrs go free?**

**You're supposed to be a leader. So LEAD. Get out there and see what's happening. Find Grover and bring Juniper some news. Now, GO!"**

"Wooh, Jax!" cheered the cabin. Annabeth smiled and whispered, "That's my Seaweed Brain."

**I didn't push him very hard, but he was kind of top-heavy.**

**He fell on his furry rump, then scrambled to his hooves and ran away with his belly jiggling. "Grover will never be accepted! He will die an outcast!"**

"Idiot," Jax grumbled.

**When he'd disappeared into the bushes, Juniper wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, Percy. I didn't mean to get you involved. Leneus is still a lord of the Wild. You don't want to make an enemy of him."**

"Gods, I'm terrified," Jax mumbled. Gwen laughed.

**"No problem," I said. "I've got worse enemies than overweight satyrs."**

**Nico walked back to us. "Good job, Percy. Judging from the trail of goat pellets, I'd say you shook him up pretty well."**

Ryan spluttered and laughed.

**I was afraid I knew why Nico was here, but I tried for a smile.**

**"Welcome back. Did you come by just to see Juniper?" He blushed.**

**"Um, no. That was an accident.**

"Why'd he blush?" Reyna asked.

"He's a guy. They have dirty minds," said Kylie, looking at her brother who had a strange grin on his face, "I don't want to know."

**I kind of ...dropped into the middle of their conversation."**

**"He scared us to death!" Juniper said. "Right out of the shadows. But, Nico, you **_**are **_**the son of Hades and all. Are you sure you haven't heard anything about Grover?"**

**Nico shifted his weight. "Juniper, like I tried to tell you ...even if Grover died, he would reincarnate into something else in nature. I can't sense things like that, only mortal souls."**

**"But if you **_**do **_**hear anything?" she pleaded, putting her hand on his arm. "Anything at all?"**

**Nico's cheeks got even brighter red. "Uh, you bet. I'll keep my ears open."**

"I think he has a crush," awed Hazel. Annabeth wondered if that was true, and what Grover would do if he knew.

**"We'll find him, Juniper," I promised. "Grover's alive, I'm sure. There must be a simple reason why he hasn't contacted us." She nodded glumly. "I hate not being able to leave the forest. He could be anywhere, and I'm stuck here waiting.**

**Oh, if that silly goat has gotten himself hurt-" Mrs. O'Leary bounded back over and took an interest in Juniper's dress. Juniper yelped. "Oh, no you don't! I know about dogs and trees. I'm gone!"**

The girls made a face while the guys laughed.

**She went **_**poof **_**into green mist. Mrs. O'Leary looked disappointed, but she lumbered off to find another target, leaving Nico and me alone.**

**Nico tapped his sword on the ground. A tiny mound of animal bone erupted from the dirt. They knit themselves together into a skeletal field mouse and scampered off. "I was sorry to hear about Beckendorf."**

"That's morbid," Marcus said.

"What?" Dakota asked.

"He talked to Beckendorf's ghost," Marcus explained.

"How- I don't want to know," Dakota finished.

**A lump formed in my throat. "How did you-"**

**"I talked to his ghost."**

**"Oh ...right." I'd never get used to the fact that this twelve-year-old kid spent more time talking with the dead than the living. "Did he say anything?"**

**"He doesn't blame you. He figured you'd be beating yourself up, and he said you shouldn't."**

**"Is he going to try for rebirth?"**

**Nico shook his head. "He's staying in Elysium. Said he's waiting for someone. Not sure what he meant, but he seems okay with death."**

"Awww!" the girls sighed.

**It wasn't much comfort, but it was something.**

**"I had a vision you were on Mount Tam, "I told Nico."Was that-"**

**"Real," he said. "I didn't mean to be spying on the Titans, but I was in the neighborhood."**

**"Doing what?"**

**Nico tugged at his sword belt. "Following a lead on ...you know, my family."**

"Oh, he doesn't know about them," Hazel figured. Annabeth nodded.

**I nodded. I knew his past was a painful subject. Until two years ago, he and his sister Bianca had been frozen in time at a place called the Lotus Hotel and Casino.**

"Wow, so how old is he really?" asked Jax.

"Well, twelve, Jax," Reyna said.

"No, he is in his eighties," Annabeth said. All the Roman kids stared at her, so she quickly explained about the Hotel.

**They'd been there for like seventy years. Eventually a mysterious lawyer rescued them and checked them into a boarding school, but Nico had no memories of his life before the casino.**

**He didn't know anything about his mother. He didn't know who the lawyer was, or why they'd been frozen in time or allowed to go free. After Bianca died and left Nico alone, he'd been obsessed with finding answers.**

**"So how did it go?" I asked. "Any luck?"**

**"No," he murmured. "But I may have a new lead soon."**

**"What's the lead?"**

**Nico chewed his lip. "That's not important right now. You know why I'm here."**

**A feeling of dread started to build in my chest. Ever since Nico first proposed his plan for beating Kronos last summer, I'd had nightmares about it.**

"Oh, gods," they muttered in anticipation.

**He would show up occasionally and press me for an answer, but I kept putting him off. "Nico, I don't know," I said. "It seems pretty extreme."**

"Oh, gods," Ryan said, annoyed. He hated being left out of the loop.

**"You've got Typhon coming in, what ...a week? Most of the other Titans are unleashed now and on Kronos' side. Maybe it's time to think extreme." I looked back toward the camp.**

**Even from this distance I could hear the Ares and Apollo campers fighting again, yelling curses and spouting bad poetry.**

**"They're no match for the Titan army," Nico said.**

**"You know that. This comes down to you and Luke. And there's only one way you can beat Luke." I remembered the fight on the **_**Princess Andromeda. **_**I'd been hopelessly outmatched. Kronos had almost killed me with a single cut to my arm, and I couldn't even wound him.**

"Oh…" Reyna said. She, Harley, and Joel exchanged looks. They knew what was coming.

**Riptide had glanced right off his skin. "We can give you the same power," Nico urged. "You heard the Great Prophecy. Unless you want to have your soul reaped by a cursed blade ..."**

"Are all Greeks pessimists?" Dakota repeated.

**I wondered how Nico had heard the prophecy-probably from some ghost.**

**"You can't prevent a prophecy," I said.**

**"But you can fight it." Nico had a strange, hungry light in his eyes.**

**"You can become invincible."**

Everyone understood now.

"So he's the one who thought of it," Hazel said.

"You trusted a freakin' twelve-year-old," Marcus pointed out.

"Well, it worked out," Jax said.

**"Maybe we should wait. Try to fight without-"**

**"No!" Nico snarled. "It has to be now!"**

**I stared at him. I hadn't seen his temper flare like that in a long time.**

**"Urn, you sure you're okay?"**

**He took a deep breath. "Percy, all I mean ...when the fighting starts, we won't be able to make the journey. This is our last chance. I'm sorry if I'm being too pushy, but two years ago my sister gave her life to protect you. I want you to honor that. Do whatever it take to stay alive and defeat Kronos."**

"Blackmail, that's how he got you to agree… I always wondered," Annabeth said.

**I didn't like the idea. Then I thought about Annabeth calling me a coward, and I got angry.**

"Seaweed brain," muttered Annabeth, sighing, "I didn't want you to do something so wreckless."

**Nico had a point. If Kronos attacked New York, the campers would be no match for his forces. I had to do something. Nico's way was dangerous-maybe even deadly. But it might give me a fighting edge.**

**"All right," I decided. "What do we do first?" His cold creepy smile made me sorry I'd agreed. "First we'll need to retrace Luke's steps. We need to know more about his past, his childhood."**

"Why would you have to do that?" Reyna asked, confused. Everyone shrugged.

**I shuddered, thinking about Rachel's picture from my dream-a milling nine-year-old Luke. "Why do we need to know about that?"**

**"I'll explain when we get there," Nico said. "I've already tracked down his mother. She lives in Connecticut."**

Annabeth sighed. Jax had spared her these details.

**I stared at him. I'd never thought much about Luke's mortal parent. I'd met his dad, Hermes, but his mom...**

**"Luke ran away when he was really young," I said. "I didn't think his mom was alive."**

**"Oh, she's alive." The way he said it made me wonder what was wrong with her. What kind of horrible person could she be?**

Harley shivered. She knew exactly how horrible mortal parents could be.

**"Okay ..."I said. "So how do we get to Connecticut? I can call Blackjack-"**

**"No." Nico scowled. "Pegasi don't like me and the feeling is mutual. But there's no need for flying." He whistled, and Mrs. O'Leary came loping out of the woods.**

**"Your friend here can help." Nico patted her head.**

**"You haven't tried shadow travel yet?"**

"Shadow travel?" asked everyone.

**"Shadow travel?"**

**Nico whispered in Mrs. O'Leary's ear. She tilted her head, suddenly alert.**

**"Hop on board," Nico told me.**

**I'd never considered riding a dog before, but Mrs. O'Leary was certainly big enough. I climbed onto her back and held her collar.**

"That's a weird image," Kylie smirked.

**"This will make her very tired," Nico warned, "so you can't do it often. And it works best at night. But all shadows are part of the same substance. There is only one darkness, and creatures of the Underworld can use it as a road, or a door."**

**"I don't understand," I said.**

**"No," Nico said. "It took me a long time to learn. But Mrs. O'Leary knows. Tell her where to go. Tell her Westport, the home of May Castellan."**

**"You're not coming?"**

**"Don't worry," he said. "I'll meet you there."**

**I was a little nervous, but I leaned down to Mrs. O'Leary's ear.**

**"Okay, girl. Uh, can you take me to Westport, Connecticut? May Castellan's place?"**

**Mrs. O'Leary sniffed the air. She looked into the gloom of the forest. Then she bounded forward, straight into an oak tree.**

**Just before we hit, we passed into shadows as cold as the dark side of the moon.**

"Wow, that's awesome," said just about everyone. Jax grinned as he felt a wooshing in the pit of his stomach. Marcus looked down confusedly.

"I guess that's all we're going to read tonight," Kylie said, removing the book from her brother's hands.

"Yeah, how about we meet up here tomorrow at six-thirty?" Reyna said. They all agreed and began to leave. Harley pulled Annabeth with her, and Jax kept Hazel behind.

* * *

**The ending is rather retarded, but it sets us up for my amazing next chapter. Sorry, when I'm tired, I boast. It's time for the chapter I'm looking forward to doing! Please R&R**


	9. Answers

**A/N: This chapter will answer a boat load of the questions you all had! I hope you all enjoy...**

**Disclaimer: Do not own**

"What's up, Jax… or should I call you Percy?" Hazel asked smilingly. Jax shook his head. The idea of people calling him Percy sounded insane. "Or I could just stick with Jax, fits you better anyways," Hazel said at Jax's silence, "So, what's up, Jax?"

"Hazel, could you watch Gwen for me?" Jax asked. At this, Gwen, who was still sitting on the chest she and Jax had during the story, crossed her arms in a huff.

"I don't need to be watched, Jax," Gwen whined.

"Yeah, you do. Otherwise you will still be up when I get back from…" Jax trailed off.

"You're going to talk to Annabeth, am I right?" Hazel asked. Jax blushed and Gwen stuck out her tongue.

"Don't go, Jax," Gwen pleaded. She got up and grabbed Jax's leg. Jax attempted to pry Gwen off of his leg.

"Gwen, I _need _to talk to her. Hazel, will you get her dinner and into bed?" Jax asked. Hazel nodded as Jax finally got Gwen off of his legs.

"Jax…" Gwen whimpered. Jax laughed.

"I'll be back," he said before leaving their tent. Annabeth was probably in the Trivia cabin.

XXXXX

"Is really okay if I stay here?" Annabeth asked, looking around the dark cabin. A single, small gas lamp lit the cabin, but the majority of the light was swallowed by the dark, nearly black purple. A large desk was covered with odd spices and herbs along with a chemistry set and a few bowls. The rest of the room was taken in up by three dressers and three hammocks. Harley shrugged.

"As long as you don't mind sleeping on a dead person's bed… or hammock," Harley replied, "This is the best cabin to keep you in anyways. No one comes in here for inspections or anything. Too scared of what happened to the last one," a reminiscent smile crossed Harley's face.

"What happened to…?" Annabeth began.

"You do not want to know," Harley stated, "Do you want Lydia's or Connor's hammock?"

"I'm sorry to ask, but what happened to them?" Annabeth asked as she grabbed the nearest hammock.

"I don't mind… they died in the war, picked off by Krios. I… I didn't get there until it was too late," Harley said, "oh, and that was Connor's bed."

"Oh…" Annabeth was saved from an awkward comment by a knock on the cabin door.

"I got it," Harley said. She got up from her hammock and walked to the cabin door.

"I thought you said no one liked coming here," Annabeth remarked before Harley opened the door.

"They usually don't," Harley said. Annabeth heard the cabin door creak open. "It's for you, Annabeth!" Annabeth went to the door to see Jax standing in the doorway.

"Hey," Jax said.

"Hey," Annabeth replied.

"Wow, and here I thought all Minerva kids had large vocabularies," joked Harley. Neither Jax nor Annabeth paid her any attention.

"I was... um… wondering if you would go for a walk with me," Jax asked Annabeth.

"Sure, that sounds fun," Annabeth said, smiling slightly.

"Do you want to borrow a jacket?" Harley asked Annabeth.

"That'd be great, Harley," Annabeth said. Harley disappeared from the doorway for a second and returned with a light-weight camouflage jacket that was anything but Annabeth.

"Will this work?" Harley asked. Annabeth nodded and took the jacket from Harley, who shooed the two out of the Trivia cabin. "Have fun!" Annabeth waved goodbye and followed Jax.

"I want to know more," he said as they began walking on the roads. Annabeth wondered if these roads led to Rome somehow, thinking of the old saying.

"I don't know what I should tell you and what I shouldn't," Annabeth whispered to Jax's back, "Is that the only reason you wanted to go on a walk?" She put an arm on his shoulder and turned him towards her. In the dim light, she could see small tears in his eyes.

"You have no idea what it's like to just not know. I don't know you, my mother, my stepdad, or anything about my life. I have as much an idea of what is going to happen in the book as the Romans do," Jax said heatedly. He looked dejected and frustrated. Annabeth had seen that expression on Jason's face before, and it hurt her as much as it must Piper. "I like you, Annabeth," Jax said. Annabeth wondered if Jax noticed her heart beat out of her chest. "But I don't know you; it'd be unfair for me to…" Jax's words were silenced.

Annabeth could not take it anymore. She had not seen Jax in what felt like forever, and she had been holding back this all day. During this sentence, Annabeth had, for one of the first times in her life, chosen what she thought was unwise. She had kissed Jax. For a moment, she felt him relax, but then he tensed and pushed her away. To say she felt hurt was an understatement.

"What's wrong?" she asked. At first she thought Jax looked angry at her, but then she realized he was in pain. He screamed louder than he had while holding up the sky. Jax toppled to the ground as the scream died. Annabeth ran to his side, terrified, knowing this was her fault. She leaned down next to Jax, who was lying lifeless on the floor.

"Help!" Annabeth yelled out, hoping whoever came was friendly.

XXXXX

Jax had not expected it. He was mid-sentence, telling Annabeth that he could not kiss her because he did not remember her, when, out of nowhere, Annabeth kissed him. At first, the kiss was enjoyable, really enjoyable, but then he felt a surging pain through his skull, like someone was playing Jael with his skull. He pushed Annabeth away, not noticing the disappointment etched on her face through his pain. He held back a scream of pain, but not for long.

His resolve crumbled and the scream ripped from his mouth, unearthly high, but it mirrored his pain perfectly. Annabeth looked at him in terror, but as his lungs died, the world began to go black. His knees buckled underneath him.

Jax felt his head sink under a cool sea. For the first time that he could remember, he actually felt his hair drench. Under the water were images that he could barely make out… a math teacher transforming into a hideous fury and attacking a younger Jax… Percy. The image changed, and Jax watched as a woman disappeared in a shower of gold. He knew instinctually that that was his mom. The picture kept changing, and, though he could not hear what was said, he felt the memories. For the first time, he felt like he might actually be Percy Jackson, Greek Hero, and not Jaxon, Son of Neptune.

The final image was of himself and Annabeth, underwater in a tight embrace. Then a rancid smell filled his nose, and Jax woke with a jolt.

XXXXX

Daniel knew where he was supposed to be as head camper of Apollo cabin, dinner, but he was not hungry and did not want to break up any food fights that started at his table. Instead, Daniel was walking around the grounds, looking for something to shoot. His bow was thrown over one shoulder, his quiver over the other. He had not expected to have to help anyone out here, but when he heard the cry, he ran to help.

Daniel found Jax, the camp's strongest and most invulnerable, on the ground unconscious. Next to him sat a weeping Minerva Camper Daniel did not know the name of. "Help me," she said simply. Daniel gave a curt nod before getting to his knees to inspect Jax. He picked up the boys limp wrist, relieved that he felt a pulse, and, then, checked Jax's forehead. It was regular temperature.

"What happened?" Daniel asked in an authoritative voice. The girl looked at him with her stormy, tear-ridden, gray eyes.

"We have to get him to his tent," she said.

"Not until you tell me…" Daniel interjected. He did not like feeling commanded.

"I will tell you once we get him to his cabin," the girl said with more authority than Lupa could muster. Daniel thought of resisting for a moment, but decided better of it, at least this way he would get his answers.

XXXXX

Hazel was enjoying herself thoroughly as she attempted to brush out Gwen's short, black, tangled hair. Gwen definitely was not. With each swish of the comb in Hazel's hand, Gwen felt her hair being pulled and continually yelled "Ow!"

"Did Jax ever brush your hair?" Hazel asked as she attacked an especially hard knot.

"No, I brush my own hair," Gwen said between yelps.

"That explains it," Hazel got two more firm brushes in before the tent flap opened, admitting Annabeth and Daniel, who were both carrying the unconscious Jax.

"Jax!" Gwen yelled, getting out of Hazel's lap and running over to the new arrivals. Gwen looked up at Annabeth with anger and said, "What did you do to him?" Annabeth lifted a finger to her eye and wiped away a tear.

"I'll tell you all as soon as Jax is on his cot."

XXXXX

Annabeth told the story slowly as Daniel examined Jax more thoroughly. Gwen glared at Annabeth.

"Why did you kiss him?" Gwen asked angrily.

"I- I didn't think it would hurt him…" Annabeth said.

"But you shouldn't have done it anyways!" Gwen said as a small angry tear formed in her eye. Daniel grabbed the little girl's arms and held her back.

"Jax is going to be just fine, Gwen," Daniel said, "anyone have something I could use to wake him up with? Herbs or spice of some sort? A shoe might work..." Despite themselves, both Annabeth and Gwen laughed lightly. Gwen pulled up one of Jax's boots he used especially for training. "That'll work." Daniel took the boot from Gwen and waved it under Jax's nose.

Jax sat up quickly gagging, his face looked pained still. "Jax, are you okay?" Annabeth asked. Through the pained look on his face, Jax gave a slight smile.

"Did we ever kiss underwater?" Jax asked. Annabeth smiled back brightly, hugging Jax around the neck.

"You remember," she whispered into his ear.

"It's like all my memories are rippled and distorted… like I'm a normal person looking at them under water," Jax said. Annabeth's smile did not falter. It was too amazing. Too wonderful.

XXXXX

Reyna ate dinner quickly and then went to the Trivia Cabin; she had to talk to Harley. She had to find out about that potion. Her hand quivered before knocking on the door. Harley came to the door quickly.

"Bet I know why you are here," Harley said, resting on the side of the doorframe, "You are wondering why I didn't use the potion to bring back Jason." With that, Harley walked back into the cabin, "You can come in if you wish." Reyna shuffled through the doorway and into the cabin.

"How did you know?" Reyna asked.

"Obvious, wasn't it? Everyone but Jason knows you are madly in love with him, and the look you gave me when I was explaining, I knew this was coming," Harley explained quickly, taking a seat on the desk, careful not to hit any of the chemicals over.

"Well, why didn't you?" Reyna asked. She felt a tear in the corner of her eye. Jason could have been back now.

"The potion only works if you don't know who you are summoning. I didn't even know I was going to end up with Annabeth here," Harley said.

"So Jax could make the potion to bring Jason here?" Reyna asked. A contemplating look passed over Hazel's features.

"He might be able to if I had the ingredients. I used up the last to get Annabeth here, and it will take a month at least to gather new ones," Harley said. Reyna looked down at the floor, trying to conceal her tears. They were so close… if she had just asked earlier. Now it would take at least a month. Another month without Jason.

XXXXX

**So how was that? Did it answer your questions? Now one thing I need to address, last chapter I accidentally included a bit from the story I have been using to get the book text from. So Thalia and Clarisse are not actually there. Please R&R.**

**eMMeD :)**


	10. My Cookies Get Scorched

**A/N: Yep, I really did update that quickly! It's pretty good too, well in my opinion.**

**Disclaimer: Still do not own.**

The next morning, the entire group joined together in the Neptune Cabin again. "After Lupa returns, we won't be able to skive off combat training to read this book," Kylie pointed out.

"That is still a week off," Joel said, "We can finish this in a week."

"So, what happened to you two last night?" Kylie asked Jax and Annabeth. The two were sitting on the chest, and Gwen sat on Jax's lap. Annabeth and Jax looked at one another and blushed.

"Can I tell them?" Annabeth asked.

"Sure," Jax said.

"Jax remembered some things last night," Annabeth glowed.

"That's awesome!" Marcus said.

"Definitely cause for celebration!" Dakota replied. Identical grins crossed the faces of Ryan and Kylie. Reyna looked at them worriedly.

"What are you two thinking?" Reyna asked.

"Secret stash," they said together before slipping out of the tent, leaving the other occupants worried and intrigued.

"Any clue what the secret stash is?" Annabeth asked after a moment of silence.

"The stuff of legend," Marcus said.

"Yeah, we non-Mercurial demigods have only heard tales of that mysterious trove of treasures," Harley embellished. Both Harley and Marcus burst out laughing.

"So in the absence of Mercury kids, these two are the clowns?" Reyna asked.

"Yep, pretty much," Dakota answered, nodding his head. Everyone watched with great amusement as Harley and Marcus continued to laugh on the floor. Suddenly, Kylie walked back into the tent through a canvas wall, causing everyone but Hazel, Joel, and Reyna to jump.

"H-how did you do that?" Jax asked, recovering his breath.

"Mercury's gift, we can't all control water you know," Kylie replied before sitting onto the edge of Gwen's cot. Ryan entered the tent through the flap with his arms full of contraband food items: cookies, candies, colas, and cake of all sorts.

"We have brought a feast!" Ryan said, laying the sweets in a pile next to his sister.

"I'm not sure all this candy is a good idea… I mean we have to get to reading," Hazel said, adding the last part after receiving scathing looks from the others who were already grabbing sweets from the cot.

"Well, we can eat and read at the same time. The food means fewer interruptions," Annabeth reasoned, "Who wants to read?"

"I guess I will, since they are my own thoughts," Jax said. Gwen jumped down from his lap and took a seat at his feet as Jax picked up the book and opened it to the right page.

**CHAPTER SIX, MY COOKIES GET SCORCHED**

"Well, these sure aren't!" Dakota said, taking a huge bite out of a chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookie.

"What was that about interruptions?" Jax whispered into Annabeth's ear. Annabeth pointed at the book.

"Keep reading, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth mock-scowled.

"Aye, Aye, Captain Wise Girl," Jax said with a cheesy salute. Annabeth rolled her eyes and playfully jabbed him in the chest with her elbow. Jax began reading again.

**I don't recommend shadow travel if you're scared of:**

**a) The dark**

**b) Cold shivers up your spine**

**c) Strange noise**

**d) Going so fast you feel like your face is peeling off**

"That. Sounds. Awesome." Said Ryan through a mouth full of Red Vines. Almost everyone else nodded their heads, and Jax paused, suddenly overcome by the memory. He felt his body thrust forward at full speed.

"Jax, are you okay?" Gwen asked, looking at her brother. The sensation passed, and Jax nodded and began reading again.

**In other words, I thought it was awesome. One minute I couldn't see anything. I could only feel Mrs. O'Leary's fur and my fingers wrapped around the bronze links of her dog collar.**

**The next minute the shadows melted into a new scene. We were on a cliff in the woods of Connecticut. At least, it looked like Connecticut from the few times I'd been there, lots of trees, low stone walls, big houses.**

**Down one side of the cliff, a highway cut through a ravine. Down the other side was someone's backyard. The property was huge-more wilderness than lawn. The house was a two-story white Colonial.**

Annabeth looked down sadly. She knew this house. Jax put an arm around her shoulder. He could only vaguely remember what happened here, but he knew it was strange.

**Despite the fact that it was right on the other side of the hill from a highway, it felt like it was in the middle of nowhere. I could see a light glowing m the kitchen window.**

**A rusty old swing set stood under an apple tree.**

**I couldn't imagine living in a house like this, with an actual yard and everything. I'd lived in a tiny apartment or a school dorm my whole life. If this was** **Luke's home, I wondered why he'd ever wanted to leave.**

Annabeth put her head on Jax's shoulder, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

"What's wrong?" Reyna asked.

"Bad memories," Jax said simply before continuing to read.

**Mrs. O'Leary staggered. I remembered what Nico had said about shadow travel draining her, so I slipped off her back. She let out a huge toothy yawn that would've scared a T-rex, then turned in a circle and flopped down so hard the ground shook.**

**Nico appeared right next to me, as if the shadows had darkened and created him. He stumbled, but I caught his arm.**

"That sounds draining," Hazel noted.

"It is," Marcus mumbled. He sounded so sure of it, but he knew he had never shadow travelled.

**"I'm okay," he managed, rubbing his eyes.**

**"How did you do that?"**

**"Practice, a few times running into walls, a few accidental trips to China."**

"Nice! Hey, Harley, can we bring this guy here?" Ryan asked.

"Maybe, when I get new ingredients," Harley remarked.

**Mrs. O'Leary started snoring. If it hadn't been for the roar of traffic behind us, I'm sure she would've woken up the whole neighborhood.**

**"Are you going to take a nap too?" I asked Nico. He shook his head. "The first time I shadow traveled, I passed out for a week. Now it just makes me a little drowsy, but I can't do it more than once or twice a night.**

"**Mrs. O'Leary won't be going anywhere for a while."**

**"So we've got some quality time in Connecticut." I gazed at the white Colonial house.**

**"What now?"**

**"We ring the doorbell," Nico said.**

**If I were Luke's mom, I would not have opened my door at night for two strange kids. But I wasn't **_**anything **_**like Luke's mom.**

"No, you are not," Annabeth mumbled into Jax's shoulder. Annabeth felt sorry for Luke's mom, but she gave Annabeth nightmares.

**I knew that even before we reached the front door. The sidewalk was lined with those little stuffed beanbag animals you see in gift shops.**

**There were miniature lions, pigs, dragons, hydras, even a teeny Minotaur in a little Minotaur diaper.**

"What's the difference between a regular diaper and a Minotaur diaper?" Marcus asked with a smirk.

"Well a regular one goes on a baby with a normal head," Ryan answered.

**Judging from their sad shape, the beanbag creatures had been sitting out here a long time-since the snow melted last spring at least.**

"They've been out there for years,"Annabeth thought about her only trip to that house.

**One of the hydras had a tree sapling sprouting between its necks. The front porch was infested with wind chimes. Shiny bits of glass and metal clinked in the breeze.**

**Brass ribbons tinkled like water and made me realize I needed to use the bathroom.**

Jax omitted the last part of that sentence for fear of the jokes he would receive.

**I didn't know how Ms. Castellan could stand all the noise.**

**The front door was painted turquoise. The name CASTELLAN was written in English, and below in Greek: ÄéïéêçôÞò öñïõñßïõ.**

"How do you spell that?" Dakota asked with a quizzical look.

"In Greek," Jax replied, knowing that only he and Annabeth could have pronounced it.

**Nico looked at me. "Ready?"**

**He'd barely tapped the door when it swung open.**

**"Luke!" the old lady cried happily.**

Annabeth sunk her head deeper into Jax's shoulder. She was so glad they had stopped where they had last night.

**She looked like someone who enjoyed sticking her fingers in electrical sockets.**

The Romans began laughing, but Jax silenced them with a glare.

**Her white hair stuck out in tufts all over her head. Her pink housedress was covered in scorch marks and smears of ash. When she smiled, her face looked unnaturally stretched, and the high-voltage light in her eves made me wonder if she was blind.**

This sobered the tent.

**"Oh, my dear boy!" She hugged Nico. I was trying to figure out why she thought Nico was Luke (they looked absolutely nothing alike), when she smiled at me and said, "Luke!"**

"What happened to her?" asked Hazel, her face looking horrified.

"You don't want to know," Jax said, remembering the reason hazily.

**She forgot all about Nico and gave me a hug. She smelled like burned cookies. She was as thin as a scarecrow, but that didn't stop her from almost crushing me.**

**"Come in!" she insisted. "I have your lunch ready!"**

"Hrm?" Ryan asked, his voice echoing the confusion in the room.

**She ushered us inside. The living room was even weirder than the front lawn. Mirrors and candles filled every available space. I couldn't look anywhere without seeing my own reflection.**

**Above the mantel, a little bronze Hermes flew around the second hand of a ticking clock. I tried to imagine the god of messengers ever falling in love with this old woman, but the idea was too bizarre.**

"Dad definitely has better taste," Kylie and Ryan both thought.

**Then I noticed the framed picture on the mantel, and I froze. It was exactly like Rachel's sketch-Luke around nine years old, with blond hair and a big smile and two missing teeth.**

**The lack of a scar on his face made him look like a different person-carefree and happy. How could Rachel have known about that picture?**

**"This way, my dear!" Ms. Castellan steered me toward the back of the house.**

**"Oh, I told them you would come back. I knew it!"**

**She sat us down at the kitchen table. Stacked on the counter were hundreds-I mean hundreds-of Tupperware boxes with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches inside.**

**The ones on the bottom were green and fuzzy, like they'd been there for a long time. The smell reminded me of my sixth grade locker-and that's not a good thing.**

The girls all looked ready to throw up.

**On top of the oven was a stack of cookie sheets. Each one had a dozen burned cookies on it. In the sink was a mountain of empty plastic Kool-Aid pitchers.**

**A beanbag Medusa sat by the faucet like she was guarding the mess.**

**Ms. Castellan started humming as she got out peanut butter and jelly and started making a new sandwich. Something was burning in the oven.**

**I got the feeling more cookies were on the way.**

"I feel really sorry for her," Reyna said. Others nodded their heads in agreement.

**Above the sink, taped all around the window, were dozens of little pictures cut from magazines and newspaper ads-pictures of Hermes from the FTD Flowers logo and Quickie Cleaners, pictures of the caduceus from medical ads.**

**My heart sank. I wanted to get out of that room, but Ms. Castellan kept smiling at me as she made the sandwich, like she was making sure I didn't bolt.**

**Nico coughed. "Urn, Ms. Castellan?"**

**"Mm?"**

**"We need to ask you about your son."**

**"Oh, yes! They told me he would never come back. But I knew better."**

**She patted my cheek affectionately, giving me peanut butter racing stripes.**

"This is really sad," muttered Harley.

**"When did you last see him?" Nico asked.**

**Her eyes lost focus.**

**"He was so young when he left," she said wistfully.**

**"Third grade. That's too young to run away! He said he'd be back for lunch.**

**And I waited. He likes peanut butter sandwiches and cookies and Kool- Aid.**

**He'll be back for lunch very soon..."**

By now, Jax could feel water on his shoulder, knowing that Annabeth was crying.

**Then she looked at me and smiled.**

**"Why, Luke, there you are! You look so handsome. You have your father's eyes."**

**She turned toward the pictures of Hermes above the sink. "Now, there's a good man. Yes, indeed. He comes to visit me, you know."**

"Wow, Dad never visits my mom," Kylie said.

"Mine either," Ryan agreed.

**The clock kept ticking in the other room. I wiped the peanut butter off my face and looked at Nico pleadingly, like **_**Can we get out of here now?**_

**"Ma'am," Nico said. "What, uh ...what happened to your eye?"**

**Her gaze seemed fractured-like she was trying to focus on him through a kaleidoscope. "Why, Luke, you know the story. It was right before you were born, wasn't it?**

Everyone was listening intently.

"**I'd always been special, able to see through the ...whatever-they-call-it."**

**"The Mist?" I said.**

**"Yes, dear." She nodded encouragingly. "And they offered me an important job."**

"**That's how special I was!" I glanced at Nico, but he looked as confused as I was.**

**"What sort of job?" I asked. "What happened?"**

**She frowned. Her knife hovered over the sandwich bread.**

**"Dear me, it didn't work out, did it?**

**Your father warned me not to try. He said it was too dangerous. But I had to. It was my destiny!**

"Oh, this is maddening," Ryan said, "Do you know what she's talking about, Jax?" Jax nodded and then kept reading.

**And now ...I still can't get the images out of my head. They make everything seem so fuzzy.**

**Would you like some cookie?" She pulled a tray out of the oven and dumped a dozen lumps of chocolate chip charcoal on the table.**

No one was eating any sweets anymore.

**"Luke was so kind," Ms. Castellan murmured.**

**"He left to protect me, you know. He said if he went away, the monsters wouldn't threaten me. But I told him the monsters are no threat! They sit outside on the sidewalk all day, and they never come in."**

**She picked up the little stuffed Medusa from the windowsill.**

**"Do they, Mrs. Medusa? No, no threat at all."**

**She beamed at me. "I'm so glad you came home. I knew you weren't ashamed of me!"**

**I shifted in my seat. I imagined being Luke sitting at this table, eight or nine years old, and just beginning to realize that my mother wasn't all there.**

"That-that would be hard," Kylie said. She did not have a great home life, but it was better than this.

**"Ms. Castellan," I said.**

**"Mom," she corrected.**

**"Um, yeah. Have you seen Luke since he left home?"**

**"Well, of course!"**

**I didn't know if she was imagining that or not. For all I knew, every time the mailman came to the door he was Luke.**

**But Nico sat forward expectantly.**

**"When?" he asked. "When did Luke visit you last?"**

**"Well, it was ...Oh goodness ..."A shadow passed across her face.**

**"The last time, he looked so different. A scar. A terrible scar, and his voice so full of pain ..."**

**"His eyes," I said. "Were they gold?"**

**"Gold?" She blinked. "No. How silly. Luke has blue eyes. Beautiful blue eyes!"**

**So Luke really had been here, and this had happened before last summer- before he'd turned into Kronos.**

**"Ms. Castellan?" Nico put his hand on the old woman's arm. "This is very important. Did he ask you for anything?"**

"Ask for anything?" Dakota wondered aloud.

**She frowned as if trying to remember. "My-my blessing. Isn't that sweet?" She looked at us uncertainly. "He was going to a river, and he said he needed my blessing.**

**I gave it to him. Of course I did."**

**Nico looked at me triumphantly." Thank you, ma'am. That's all the information we"**

**Ms. Castellan gasped. She doubled over, and her cookie tray clattered to the floor. Nico and I jumped to our feet. "Ms. Castellan?" I said.**

_**"AHHHH," **_**She straightened. I scrambled away and almost fell over the kitchen table, because her eyes-her eyes were glowing green.**

Everyone's but Jax's and Annabeth's eyes widened.

_**"My child," **_**she rasped in a much deeper voice. **_**"Must protect him! Hermes, help! Not my child! Not his fate **_**-**_**no!"**_

**She grabbed Nico by the shoulders and began to shake him as if to make him understand. **_**"Not his fate!"**_

**Nico made a strangled scream and pushed her away. He gripped the hilt of his sword. "Percy, we need to get out-"**

**She suddenly collapsed. I lurched forward and caught her, before she could hit the edge of the table. I managed to get her into a chair.**

Annabeth raised her head from Jax's shoulder and said, "Ever the hero."

**"Ms. C?" I asked.**

**She muttered something incomprehensible and shook her head.**

**"Goodness. I ...I dropped the cookies. How silly of me."**

**She blinked, and her eyes were back to normal-or at least, what they had been before. The green glow was gone.**

"This chapter is really scary," Reyna stated.

**"Are you okay?" I asked.**

**"Well, of course, dear. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"**

**I glanced at Nico, who mouthed the word **_**Leave.**_

"Finally," everyone said. They did not want to hear anything else.

**"Ms. C, you were telling us something," I said. "Something about your son."**

**"Was I?" she said dreamily. "Yes, his blue eyes. We were talking about his blue eyes. Such a handsome boy!"**

**"We have to go," Nico said urgently. "We'll tell Luke ...uh, we'll tell him you said hello."**

**"But you can't leave!" got shakily to her feet, and I backed away. I felt silly being scared of a frail old woman, but the way her voice had changed, the way she'd grabbed Nico...**

"was down-right scary," finished Ryan.

**"Hermes will be here soon," she promised. "He'll want to see his boy!"**

**"Maybe next time," I said. "Thank you for-" I looked down at the burned cookies scattered on the floor." Thanks for everything."**

**She tried to stop us, to offer us Kool-Aid, but I had to get out of that house. On the front porch, she grabbed my wrist and I almost jumped out of my skin.**

**"Luke, at least be safe. Promise me you'll be safe."**

Annabeth felt a sharp pain in her gut.

**"I will ...Mom."**

"Aww, Jax," Gwen said smiling at her brother.

**That made her smile. She released my wrist, and as she closed the front door I could hear her talking to the candles: "You hear that? He will be safe. I told you he would be!"**

**As the door shut, Nico and I ran.**

"Good, I would to," Joel said.

**The little beanbag animal on the sidewalk seemed to grin at us as we passed.**

A collective shudder ran through the tent.

**Back at the cliff, Mrs. O'Leary had found a friend.**

**A cozy campfire crackled in a ring of stones. A girl about eight years old was sitting cross-legged next to Mrs. O'Leary, scratching the hellhound's ears.**

"Who's that?" Dakota asked.

"Vesta?" Reyna guessed. She'd met the goddess once before.

**The girl had mousy brown hair and a simple brown dress. She wore a scarf over her head so she looked like a pioneer kid-like the ghost of **_**Little House on the Prairie **_**or something. She poked the fire with a stick, and it seemed to glow more richly red than a normal fire.**

"Yeah, I think you're right, Rey," Hazel nodded.

**"Hello," she said.**

**My first thought was: monster. When you're a demigod and you find a sweet little girl alone in the woods-that's typically a good time to draw your sword and attack.**

"Yeah, usually true," they muttered things along this line.

**Plus, the encounter with had rattled me pretty bad.**

**But Nico bowed to the little girl. "Hello again, Lady."**

**She studied me with eyes as red as the firelight. I decided it was safest to bow.**

"Definitely a wise move… always best to start with a bow. Even some monsters honor a bow," Joel said.

**"Sit, Percy Jackson," she said. "Would you like some dinner?**

**After staring at moldy peanut butter sandwiches and burned cookies,**

**I didn't have much of an appetite, but the girl waved her hand and a picnic appeared at the edge of the fire.**

Ryan grabbed a cookie off of the bed.

**There were plates of roast beef, baked potatoes, buttered carrots, fresh bread, and a whole bunch of other foods I hadn't had in a long time.**

**My stomach started to rumble. It was the kind of home-cooked meal people are supposed to have but never do. The girl made a five-foot-long dog biscuit appear for Mrs. O'Leary, who happily began tearing it to shreds.**

**I sat next to Nico. We picked up our food, and I was about to dig in when I thought better of it.**

**I scraped part of my meal into the flames, the way we do at camp.**

**"For the gods," I said.**

**The little girl smiled. "Thank you. As tender of the flame, I get a share of every sacrifice, you know."**

"Well, makes sense," Harley reasoned.

**"I recognize you now," I said. "The first time I came to camp, you were sitting by the fire, in the middle of the commons area."**

**"You did not stop to talk," the girl recalled sadly. "Alas, most never do. Nico talked to me. He was the first in many years.**

"I didn't talk to Vesta either," Reyna said sadly. Almost everyone else said they did not either, but Marcus said, "I did."

**Everyone rushes about. No time for visiting family."**

**"You're Hestia," I said. "Goddess of the Hearth."**

**She nodded.**

**Okay ...so she looked eight years old. I didn't ask. I'd learned that gods could look any way they pleased.**

**"My lady," Nico asked, "why aren't you with the other Olympians, fighting Typhon?"**

**"I'm not much for fighting." Her red eyes flickered. I realized they weren't just reflecting the flames. They were filled with flames-but not like Ares's eyes.**

**Hestia's eyes were warm and cozy. "Besides," she said, "someone has to keep the home fires burning while the other gods are away."**

**"So you're guarding Mount Olympus?" I asked.**

**"Guard may be too strong a word. But if you ever need a warm place to sit and a home-cooked meal, you are welcome to visit. Now eat." My plate was empty before I knew it. Nico scarfed his down just a fast.**

Annabeth laughed. It was so like Jax.

**"That was great," I said. "Thank you, Hestia."**

**She nodded. "Did you have a good visit with May Castellan?"**

**For a moment I'd almost forgotten the old lady with her bright eye and her maniacal smile, the way she'd suddenly seemed possessed.**

**"What's wrong with her, exactly?" I asked.**

**"She was born with a gift," Hestia said. "She could see through the** **Mist."**

**"Like my mother, "I said. And I was also thinking, **_**Like Rachel **_**"But the glowing eyes thing-"**

**"Some bear the curse of sight better than others," the goddess said sadly. "For a while, May Castellan had many talents. She attracted the attention of Hermes himself.**

"Well, so did our moms," Ryan pointed out defensively.

"Your mom's not special," Reyna teased, receiving a glare from Ryan, "Sorry!"

**They had a beautiful baby boy. For a brief time, she was happy. And then she went too far."**

**I remembered what had said: **_**They offered me an important job ...It didn't work out .**_**I wondered what kind of job left you like that.**

"Well, I'd like to know," Ryan groaned. His ADHD was worse than many of the other's, and being force to wait was killing him.

**"One minute she was all happy," I said. "And then she was freaking out about her son's fate, like she knew he'd turned into Kronos.** **What happened to ...to divide her like that?"**

**The goddess's face darkened. "That is a story I do not like to tell. But** **May Castellan saw too much? If you are to understand your enemy** **Luke, you must understand his family."**

**I thought about the sad little pictures of Hermes taped above May Castellan's sink. I wondered if had been so crazy when Luke was little. That green-eyed fit could've seriously scared a nine-year-old kid.**

**And if Hermes never visited, if he'd left Luke alone with his mom all those years...**

"Hey, Dad can't visit all his kids," Kylie said in defense.

**"No wonder Luke ran away," I said. "I mean, it wasn't right to leave his mom like that, but still-he was just a kid. Hermes shouldn't have abandoned them."**

Kylie glared at Jax, and Ryan probably would have too if his mouth was not full with five types of candy.

**Hestia scratched behind Mrs. O'Leary's ears. The hellhound wagged her tail and accidentally knocked over a tree.**

**"It's easy to judge others," Hestia warned. "But will you follow Luke's path? Seek the same powers?"**

**Nico set down his plate. "We have no choice, my lady. It's the only way Percy stands a chance."**

**"Mmm." Hestia opened her hand and the fire roared. Flame shot thirty feet into the air. Heat slapped me in the face. Then the fire died back down to normal.**

"You didn't listen to a goddess," Marcus said in awe. Jax shrugged.

"Like Nico said, I had no choice," Jax replied.

**"Not all powers are spectacular." Hestia looked at me. "Sometime the hardest power to master is the power of yielding. Do you believe me?"**

**"Uh-huh," I said. Anything to keep her from messing with her flame powers again.**

Everyone laughed as Jax said defensively, "That can be absolutely terrifying!"

"Sure, Kelp Breath," Kylie said.

**The goddess smiled. "You are a good hero, Percy Jackson. Not too proud.**

"Yep," Gwen said proudly. Her brother was the coolest.

**I like that. But you have much to learn. When Dionysus was made a god, I gave up my throne for him. It was the only way to avoid a civil war among the gods."**

"I could not do that," Hazel said. The others nodded.

**"It unbalanced the Council, "I remembered." Suddenly there were seven guys and five girls."**

**Hestia shrugged. "It was the best solution, not a perfect one. Now I tend the fire. I fade slowly into the background. No one will ever write epic poems about the deeds of Hestia.**

"That's pathetic. No offense to the other gods, but Hestia is by far the nicest," Hazel said.

"No one cares about nice," Marcus remarked sardonically, "It's a cruel fact of life."

"Well… that was dark," Reyna commented. Marcus just shrugged.

**Most demigods don't even stop to talk to me. But that is no matter. I keep the peace. I yield when necessary. Can you do this?"**

**"I don't know what you mean."**

**She studied me. "Perhaps not yet. But soon. Will you continue you quest?"**

**"Is that why you're here- to warn me against going?"**

**Hestia shook her head. "I am here because when all else fails, when all the other mighty gods have gone off to war, I am all that's left. Home. Hearth. I am the last must remember me when you face your final decision."**

**I didn't like the way she said **_**final.**_

**I looked at Nico, then back at Hestia's warm glowing eyes. "I have to continue, my lady. I have to stop Luke ...I mean Kronos."**

**Hestia nodded. "Very well. I cannot be of much assistance, beyond what I have already told you. But since you sacrificed to me, I can return you to your own hearth. I will see you again, Percy, on Olympus."**

"At least one immortal likes you," Annabeth teased.

"I don't know, I think Ares is warming up to me," Jax said sarcastically. He knew for sure that Ares would like nothing better than to skewer him through with a spear.

**Her tone was ominous, as though our next meeting would not be happy.**

**The goddess waved her hand, and everything faded.**

**Suddenly I was home. Nico and I were sitting on the couch in my mom's apartment on the Upper East Side. That was the good news.**

"Yay," Gwen grinned. She wanted to hear about her brother's mom.

**The bad news was that the rest of the living room was occupied by Mrs. O'Leary.**

**I heard a muffled yell from the bedroom. Paul's voice said, "Who put this wall of fur in the doorway?"**

"I like your stepdad," Ryan said through laughs.

**"Percy?" my mom called out. "Are you here? Are you all right?"**.

**"I'm here!" I shouted back.**

_**"WOOF!" **_**Mrs. O'Leary tried to turn in a circle to find my mom, knocking all the pictures off the walls. She's only met my mom once before (long story), but she loves her.**

"Everyone loves Sally," Annabeth said. It was true.

**It took a few minutes, but we finally got things worked out. After destroying most of the furniture in the living room and probably making our neighbors really mad, we got my parents out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where we sat around the kitchen table.**

**Mrs. O'Leary still took up the entire living room, but she'd settled her head in the kitchen doorway so she could see us, which made her happy. My mom tossed her a ten-pound family-size tube of ground beef, which disappeared down her gullet. Paul poured lemonade for the rest of us while I explained about our visit to Connecticut.**.

**"So it's true." Paul stared at me like he'd never seen me before. He was wearing his white bathrobe, now covered in hellhound fur, and his salt-and-pepper hair was sticking up in every direction.**

"I wonder what they could have been up to," Ryan joked, and Jax made a face.

"That's my mom…" he said disgustedly. He did not want to think about her and anyone doing… it.

"What?" Gwen asked. She had no idea.

"Nothing, Ryan's just a perve," Jax said, causing Ryan to laugh maniacally.

**"All the talk about monsters, and being a demigod ...it's really true."**

**I nodded. Last fall I'd explained to Paul who I was. My mom had backed me up. But until this moment, I don't think he really believed us.**

**"Sorry about Mrs. O'Leary," I said, "destroying the living room and all."**

**Paul laughed like he was delighted. "Are you kidding? This is awesome!**

"I really like this guy," Dakota said, wishing his stepmom was so understanding.

**I mean, when I saw the hoof prints on the Prius, I thought maybe. But this!"**

**He patted Mrs. O'Leary's snout. The living room shook-**_**BOOM, BOOM, BOOM **_**-which either meant a SWAT team was breakingdown the door or Mrs.O'Leary was wagging her tail.**

They snickered at that.

**I couldn't help but smile. Paul was a pretty cool guy, even if he was my English teacher as well as my step dad.**

**"Thanks for not freaking out," I said.**

**"Oh, I'm freaking out," he promised, his eyes wide. "I just think it's awesome!"**

"How are you so lucky?" Dakota asked. Jax shrugged, hoping his mom and Paul were not too worried.

**"Yeah, well," I said, "you may not be so excited when you hear what's happening."**

**I told Paul and my mom about Typhon, and the gods, and the battle that was sure to come. Then I told them Nico's plan.**

**My mom laced her fingers around her lemonade glass. She was wearing her old blue flannel bathrobe, and her hair was tied back.**

**Recently she'd started writing a novel, like she'd wanted to do for years, and I could tell she'd been working on it late into the night, because the circles under her eyes were darker than usual.**

"Why didn't she write it earlier?" Joel wondered aloud. Suddenly the visage of Smelly Gabe came to Jax's mind. Jax tensed.

"My stepdad," Jax said, a scowl across his face.

"But Paul seems so cool," Dakota said.

"No, not Paul. Gabe Ugliano," Jax said fiercely. He did not remember much about the guy, thank the gods, but he remembered enough to hate him.

"I am guessing that Gabe is not a nice person," Kylie said.

"No, he wasn't," Jax replied sourly.

**I'd brought the magical plant back from Calypso's island last summer,**

Annabeth tensed. She felt sorry for the Titaness, but that did not mean she had to like Calypso. A sad look crossed Jax's face. He only remembered a little about Ogygia, but it made him sad.

**and it bloomed like crazy under my mother's care. The scent always calmed me down, but it also made me sad because it reminded me of lost friends.**

**My mom took a deep breath, like she was thinking how to tell me no.**

**"Percy, it's dangerous," she said. "Even for you."**

**"Mom, I know. I could die. Nico explained that. But if we don't try-"**

**"We'll all die," Nico said.**

"I bet you are a child of Pluto," Kylie joked to Marcus, "You have a lot in common with Nico, you are both so morbid."

"How unlikely is that?" Marcus asked. He was only fourteen, but Pluto had never broken the oath.

**He hadn't touched his lemonade. "Ms. Jackson, we don't stand a chance against an invasion. And there **_**will**_** be an invasion."**

"Strong speaker for a thirteen-year-old," Dakota pointed out.

"With eighty years of practice," Hazel added.

**"An invasion of New York?" Paul said. "Is that even possible?** **How could we not see the ...the monsters?"**

"The mist," chorused the entire tent.

**He said the word like he still couldn't believe this was real.**

**"I don't know," I admitted. "I don't see how Kronos could just march into Manhattan, but the Mist is strong. Typhon is trampling across the country right now, and mortals think he's a storm system."**

**"Ms. Jackson," Nico said, "Percy needs your blessing. The process **_**has **_**to start that way. I wasn't sure until we met Luke's mom, but now I'm positive. This has only been done successfully twice before.**

**Both times, the mother had to give her blessing. She had to be willing to let her son take the risk."**

**"You want me to bless this?" She shook her head. "It's crazy. Percy, please-"**

"I wouldn't bless this," Annabeth said. She could not imagine giving Jax permission to do something so… so…

Annabeth felt tears prick her eyes. This all could have gone very wrong. Annabeth grabbed Jax's arm to assure herself he was really there.

**"Mom, I can't do it without you."**

**"And if you survive this ...this **_**process?"**_

**"Then I go to war," I said. "Me against Kronos. And only one of us will survive."**

"Nope, I would never bless this," muttered Annabeth.

**I didn't tell her the whole prophecy-about the soul reaping and the end of my days. She didn't need to know that I was probably doomed.**

**I could only hope I'd stop Kronos and save the rest of the world before I died.**

**"You're my son," she said miserably. "I can't just ..."**

**I could tell I'd have to push her harder if I wanted her to agree, but I didn't want to.**

"You're a good son," Gwen told her brother.

**I remembered poor May Castellan in her kitchen, waiting for her son to come home. And I realized how lucky I was. My mom had always been there for me, always tried to make things normal for me, even with the gods and monsters and stuff.**

"You are amazingly lucky," Dakota said.

"No, Poseidon just has good taste," Annabeth said.

**She put up with me going off on adventures, but now I was asking her blessing to do something that would probably get me killed.**

**I locked eyes with Paul, and some kind of understanding passed between us.**

**"Sally." He put his hand over my mother's hands. "I can't claim to know what you and Percy have been going through all these years.** **But it sounds to me ...it sounds like Percy is doing something noble. I wish I had that much courage."**

"Your parents miss you," Annabeth sighed.

**I got a lump in my throat. I didn't get compliment like that too much. My mom stared at her lemonade. She looked like she was trying not to cry.**

**I thought about what Hestia had said, about how hard it was to yield, and I figured maybe my mom was finding that out.**

**"Percy," she said, "I give you my blessing."**

**I didn't feel any different. No magic glow lit the kitchen or anything.**

**I glanced at Nico.**

**He looked more anxious than ever, but he nodded.**

**"It's time."**

**"Percy," my mom said. "One last thing. If you ...if you survive this fight with Kronos, send me a sign. "She rummaged through her purse and handed me her cell phone.**

**"Mom," I said, "you know demigods and phones-"**

**"I know," she said. "But just in case. If you're not able to call ... maybe a sign that I could see from anywhere in Manhattan. To let me know you're okay."**

**"Like Theseus," Paul suggested. "He was supposed to raise white sails when he came home to Athens."**

**"Except he forgot," Nico muttered. "And his father jumped off the palace roof in despair. But other than that, it was a great idea."**

"Hopeless," Reyna sighed, "You didn't forget did you?"

"I don't know," Jax said, suddenly worried.

"Did he forget?" Hazel asked Annabeth.

"I-I don't know," Annabeth answered, "His mom didn't commit suicide though."

**"What about a flag or a flare?" my mom said. "From Olympus-the** **Empire State Building."**

**"Something blue," I said.**

**We'd had a running joke for years about blue food. It was my favorite color, and my mom went out of her way to humor me.**

**Every year my birthday cake, my Easter basket, my Christmas candy cane always had to be blue.**

"What's up with that?" Kylie asked. Jax laughed ruefully, suddenly remembering what it was about. He decided not to share and simply continued reading.

**"Yes," my mom agreed. "I'll watch for a blue signal. And I'll try to avoid jumping off palace roofs."**

**She gave me one last hug. I tried not to feel like I was saying good- bye. I shook hands with Paul. Then Nico and I walked to the kitchen doorway and looked at Mrs. O'Leary.**

**"Sorry, girl," I said. "Shadow travel time again."**

**She whimpered and crossed her paws over her snout.**

**"Where now?" I asked Nico. "Los Angeles?"**

**"No need," he said. "There's a closer entrance to the Underworld."**

"That's the end of the chapter," Jax said, "Who wants to read now?" He held out the book, and Kylie took it.

* * *

**Ok so how was it? I hope you liked it. Before anyone asks, I am still calling him Jax because he has not told anyone that he prefers Percy, not wanting to confuse the issue. As always, R&R. By now I hope you all can guess who Marcus' dad is. **

**eMMeD :)**


	11. My Math Teacher Gives Me A Lift

**A/N: So, just for the record... I agree with Avelinette on the whole Jax being called Percy thing, but as I stated in... I think chapter three: To make it easier to follow, I will continue to refer to Percy as Jax for the time being. **

**Disclaimer: No, do not own!

* * *

**

**SEVEN, MY MATH TEACHER GIVES ME A LIFT, **Kylie laughed as she read the chapter title.

**We emerged in Central Park just north of the Pond. Mrs. O'Leary looked pretty tired as she limped over to a cluster of boulders.**

**She started sniffing around, and I was afraid she might mark her territory, but Nico said, "It's okay. She just smells the way home."**

**I frowned. "Through the rocks?"**

Annabeth gave Jax an endearing smile as he grabbed a coke from the stash of food.

**"The Underworld has two major entrances," Nico said. "You know the one in L.A."**

**"Charon's ferry."**

"I wonder if Hades gave him a raise," Jax smirked, remembering his first quest, at least that part, suddenly.

"Doubt it,"Annabeth said.

**Nico nodded. "Most souls go that way, but there's a smaller path, harder to find. The Door of Orpheus."**

"He's the musician guy right?" Dakota asked. Annabeth nodded.

**"The dude with the harp."**

Annabeth nudged Jax in the ribs, giving him an "are you serious" look.

**"Dude with the lyre," Nico corrected. "But yeah, him. He used his music to charm the earth and open a new path into the Underworld. He sang his way right into Hades' palace and almost got away with his wife's soul."**

**I remembered the story. Orpheus wasn't supposed to look behind him when he was leading his wife back to the world, but of course he did. It was one of those typical "and-so-they-died/the-end" stories that always made us feel warm and fuzzy.**

"Hey! I liked that story," Reyna said.

"Yeah, 'cause it makes your mom look amazing," Harley pointed out.

"I know," Reyna smirked.

**"So this is the Door of Orpheus." I tried to be impressed, but it still looked like a pile of rocks to me. "How does it open?"**

**"We need music," Nico said. "How's your singing?"**

"Is it any good, Jax?" Ryan asked.

"No," Annabeth answered for Jax. Jax glared at her, but then began laughing with everyone else.

**"Um, no. Can't you just, like, tell it to open? You're the son of Hades and all."**

**"It's not so easy. We need music."**

**I was pretty sure if I tried to sing, all I would cause was an avalanche.**

The laughing grew.

**"I have a better idea." I turned and called, "GROVER!"**

Jax smiled in anticipation. He could barely remember the Satyr who was his best friend.

**We waited for a long time. Mrs. O'Leary curled up and took a nap. I could hear the crickets in the woods and an owl hooting. Traffic hummed along Central Park West. Horse hooves clopped down a nearby path, maybe a mounted police patrol.**

**I was sure they'd love to find two kids hanging out in the park at one in the morning.**

**"It's no good," Nico said at last. But I had a feeling. My empathy link was really tingling for the first time in months, which either meant a whole lot of people had suddenly switched on the Nature Channel, or Grover was close.**

**I shut my eyes and concentrated. **_**Grover.**_

**I knew he was somewhere in the park. Why couldn't I sense his emotions? All I got was a faint hum in the base of my skull.**

_**Grover, **_**I thought more insistently.**

_**Hmm-hmmmm, **_**something said.**

"He's sleeping," Gwen laughed.

"How does she know?" Kylie asked Annabeth.

"It sounds like Jax," Gwen said. Jax blushed and placed a hand over his sister's mouth.

**An image came into my head. I saw a giant elm tree deep in the woods, well off the main paths. Gnarled roots laced the ground, making a kind of bed.**

"You know, Gwen, you are really smart," Hazel said, and Gwen smiled brightly. She did not get compliments like that every day.

**Lying in it with his arms crossed and his eye closed was a satyr. At first I couldn't be sure it was Grover. He was covered in twigs and leaves, like he'd been sleeping there a long time.**

"Morpheus or Somnus," Joel said. Harley nodded her agreement.

**The roots seemed to be shaping themselves around him, slowly pulling him into the earth.**

_**Grover, **_**I said. **_**Wake up.**_

_**Unnnh **_**-**_**zzzzz.**_

_**Dude, you're covered in dirt. Wake up!**_

_**Sleepy, **_**his mind murmured.**

_**FOOD, **_**I suggested. **_**PANCAKES!**_

"That'll wake him up," smiled Annabeth.

**His eyes shot open. A blur of thoughts filled my head like he was suddenly on fast-forward.**

**The image shattered, and I almost fell over.**

"That could have killed you!" Harley said loudly.

"Huh?" Jax asked.

"Well it could have put you into a coma," Harley added, "easily." Jax turned to Annabeth, startled.

"I-is that true?" Jax asked her.

"It's possible," Annabeth commented, looking slightly pale at the prospect.

"Possible?" Gwen croaked. She did not like the sound of that. Kylie decided to get back to reading before this got too serious.

**"What happened?" Nico asked.**

**"I got through. He's ...yeah. He's on his way."**

**A minute later, the tree next to us shivered. Grover fell out of the branches, right on his head.**

**"Grover!" I yelled.**

_**"Woof!" **_**Mrs. O'Leary looked up, probably wondering if we were going to play fetch with the satyr.**

"I'm sure Grover would have just _loved _that," Annabeth laughed lightly.

**"Blah-haa-haa!" Grover bleated.**

**"You okay, man?"**

**"Oh, I'm fine." He rubbed his head. His horns had grown so much they poked an inch above his curly hair.**

**"I was at the other end of the park. The dryads had this great idea of passing me through the trees to get me here.** T**hey don't understand **_**height **_**very well."**

**He grinned and got to his feet-well, his **_**hooves, **_**actually. Since last summer, Grover had stopped trying to disguise himself as human.**

**He never wore a cap or fake feet anymore. He didn't even wear jeans, since he had furry goat legs from the waist down. His T-shirt had a picture from that book **_**Where the Wild Things Are.**_

"That movie was horrible," commented Kylie before she continued to read.

"Hey! I liked that movie," Hazel said.

"It's great if you enjoy boredom on a stick…" Dakota muttered.

"What was that, Dak?" Hazel asked.

"Nothing, Haze," Dakota said, looking imploringly at Kylie.

**It was covered with dirt and tree sap. His goatee looked fuller, almost manly (or goatly?),**

"Oh, look at Jax trying to be all politically correct," teased Reyna before laughing.

**and he was as tall as me now.**

**"Good to see you, G-man," I said. "You remember Nico."**

**Grover nodded at Nico, and then he gave me a big hug.**

"AWWW," all the guys called at Jax, causing him to blush.

**He smelled like fresh-mown lawns.**

"You are smelling him now? Sounds kind of gay, Jax," Marcus said.

"And who is the one with the hot girlfriend?" Jax asked, putting an arm around Annabeth and successfully shutting Marcus up. Annabeth would usually have put Jax in his place for this, but it felt too good to have him back.

**"Perrrrcy!" he bleated. "I missed you!** **I miss camp. They don't serve very good enchiladas in the wilderness."**

"Classic Faun," Joel muttered.

**"I was worried," I said. "Where've you been the last two months?"**

**"The last two-"Grover's smile faded. "The last **_**two months? **_**What** **are you talking about?"**

**"We haven't heard from you," I said. "Juniper's worried. We sent Iris messages, but-"**

**"Hold on." He looked up at the stars like he was trying to calculate his position. "What month is this?"**

**"August."**

**The color drained from his face. "That's impossible. It's June. I just** **lay down to take a nap and ..." He grabbed my arms. "I remember** **now! He knocked me out. Percy, we have to stop him!"**

"Joel, I think you are right," Kylie commented.

"When has Joel been wrong?" Harley asked.

"Never," almost everyone answered.

**"Whoa," I said. "Slow down. Tell me what happened."**

**He took a deep breath. "I was ...I was walking in the woods up by Harlem Meer. And I felt this tremble in the ground, like something powerful was near."**

**"You can sense stuff like that?" Nico asked.**

**Grover nodded. "Since Pan's death, I can feel when something is wrong in nature. It's like my ears and eyes are sharper when I'm in the Wild. Anyway, I started following the scent.**

**This man in a long black coat was walking through the park, and I noticed he didn't cast a shadow. Middle of a sunny day, and he cast no shadow. He kind of shimmered as he moved."**

**"Like a mirage?" Nico asked.**

**"Yes," Grover said. "And whenever he passed humans-"**

**"The humans would pass out, "Nico said."Curl up and go to sleep."**

**"That's right! Then after he was gone, they'd get up and go about their business like nothing happened."**

**I stared at Nico. "You know this guy in black?"**

**"Afraid so," Nico said.**

"Of course he would," Annabeth chuckled. Nico knew a lot for only knowing he was a demigod for a two years.

**"Grover, what happened?"**

**"I followed the guy.**

**He kept looking up at the buildings around the park like he was making estimates or something.**

**This lady jogger ran by, and she curled up on the sidewalk and started snoring. The** **guy in black put his hand on her forehead like he was checking her temperature. Then he kept walking. By this time, I knew he was a monster or something even worse.**

"Worse, it has to be Morpheus," Harley said.

"Why?" Reyna asked.

"He was on Kronos' side," Harley explained.

"But Morpheus is Roman, he has no Greek side," Joel reasoned.

"It is him,"Annabeth confirmed so that they could continue reading.

**I followed him into this grove, to the base of a big elm tree. I was about to summon some dryads to help me capture him when he turned and ..."**

**Grover swallowed. "Percy, his face. I couldn't make out his face** **because it kept shifting. Just looking at him made me sleepy. I said, "What are you doing?"**

**He said, "Just having a look around. You should always scout a battlefield before the battle."**

**I said something really smart like, "This forest is under my protection. You won't start any battles here!"**

**And he laughed. He said, "You're lucky I'm saving my energy for the main event, little satyr.** ** a short nap.**

"He has one messed up idea of short," Ryan said.

**Pleasant dreams. "And that's the last thing I remember."**

**Nico exhaled. "Grover, you met Morpheus, the God of Dreams… You're lucky you **_**ever **_**woke up."**

"Drama King," Kylie hummed.

"Well, now Joel has officially been wrong," Harley said proudly.

"No, he was just adding a point," Hazel said.

**"Two months," Grover moaned. "He put me to sleep for two months!"**

**I tried to wrap my mind around what this meant. Now it made sense why we hadn't been able to contact Grover all this time.**

**"Why didn't the nymphs try to wake you?" I asked.**

**Grover shrugged. "Most nymphs aren't good with time. Two months for a tree-that's nothing.**

**They probably didn't think anything was wrong."**

**"We've got to figure out what Morpheus was doing in the park," I said.**

**"I don't like this 'main event' thing he mentioned."**

**"He's working for Kronos," Nico said. "We know that already. A lot of the minor gods are. This just proves there's going to be an invasion. Percy, we have to get on with our plan."**

**"Wait," Grover said. "What plan?"**

**We told him, and Grover started tugging at his leg fur.**

**"You're not serious," he said. "Not the Underworld again."**

"Yeah, common knowledge, Fauns and underground places do not mix," Marcus said.

**"I'm not asking you to come, man," I promised. "I know you just woke up. But we need some music to open the door. Can you do it?"**

**Grover took out his reed pipes. "I guess I could try. I know a few Nirvana tunes that can split rocks. But, Percy, are you sure you want to do this?"**

**"Please, man," I said. "It would mean a lot. For old times' sake?"**

**He whimpered. "As I recall, in the old times we almost died a lot.**

"Yeah, key word: Almost," Jax smiled.

**But okay, here goes nothing."**

**He put his pipes to his lips and played a shrill, lively tune. The boulders trembled. A few more stanzas and they cracked open, revealing a triangular crevice.**

Ryan was bouncing in his seat, "Now we're getting there!"

**I peered inside. Steps led down into the darkness. The air smelled of mildew and death.**

**It brought back bad memories of my trip through the Labyrinth last year, but this tunnel felt even more dangerous. It led straight to the land of Hades, and that was almost always a one-way trip.**

**I turned to Grover. "Thanks ...I think."**

**"Perrrrcy, is Kronos really going to invade?"**

**"I wish I could tell you better, but yeah. He will."**

**I thought Grover might chew up his reed pipes in anxiety, but he straightened up and brushed off his T-shirt.**

"He really matured," Annabeth said. Jax nodded.

**I couldn't help thinking how different he looked from fat old Leneus.**

**"I've got to rally the nature spirits, then. Maybe we can help. I'll see if we can find this Morpheus."**

**"Better tell Juniper you're okay, too."**

**His eyes widened. "Juniper! Oh, she's going to kill me!"**

Everyone laughed, though it was a tense, half-hearted sound.

**He started to run off, then scrambled back and gave me another hug.**

**"Be careful down there! Come back alive!"**

Annabeth grabbed Jax's hand. "I'm fine," Jax reminded her in a whisper.

**Once he was gone, Nico and I roused Mrs. O'Leary from her nap.**

**When she smelled the tunnel, she got excited and led the way down the steps. It was a pretty tight fit.**

**I hoped she wouldn't get stuck.**

**I couldn't imagine how much Drano we'd need to un-stick a hellhound wedged halfway down a tunnel to the Underworld.**

**"Ready?" Nico asked me. "It'll be fine. Don't worry."**

**He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.**

"Something is wrong," Gwen sensed, "Nico is up to something."

**I glanced up at the stars, wondering if I would ever see them again.**

**Then we plunged into darkness… The stairs went on forever-narrow, steep, and slippery. It was completely dark except for the light of my sword. I tried to go slow, but Mrs. O'Leary had other ideas.**

**She bounded ahead, barking happily. The sound echoed through the tunnel like cannon shots, and I figured we would not be catching anybody by surprise once we reached the bottom.**

The group chuckled at that.

**Nico lagged behind, which I thought was strange.**

**"You okay?" I asked him.**

"Something is definitely up," Harley agreed with Gwen.

**"Fine." What was that expression on his face... doubt?" Just keep moving," he said.**

**I didn't have much choice. I followed Mrs. O'Leary into the depths.**

**After another hour, I started to hear the roar of a river.**

Annabeth suddenly realized that she should have read this chapter. Not everyone needed to know Jax's Achilles' spot. Hopefully Juno/Hera edited it out.

**We emerged at the base of a cliff, on a plain of black volcanic sand.**

**To our right, the River Styx gushed from the rocks and roared off in a cascade of rapids. To our left, far away in the gloom, fires burned on the rampart of Erebos, the great black walls of Hades' kingdom.**

**I shuddered. I'd first been here when I was twelve, and only**

**Annabeth and Grover's company had given me the courage to keep going.**

"It is a creepy place," Reyna said. Annabeth nodded, squeezing, Jax's hand.

**Nico wasn't going to be quite as helpful with the "courage" thing.**

**He looked pale and worried himself.**

**Only Mrs. O'Leary acted happy. She ran along the beach, picked up a random human leg bone, and romped back toward me. She dropped the bone at my feet and waited for me to throw it.**

Gwen shuddered, squealing in a way unlike herself.

**"Um, maybe later, girl." I stared at the dark waters, trying to get up my nerve.**

**"So, Nico ...how do we do this?"**

Annabeth snorted, "Gwen, is procrastination a trait of all Poseidon kids or just Jax?"

"What's procrastination?" Gwen asked, carefully sounding out the long word.

**"We have to go inside the gates first," he said.**

"Why is that, Percy?" Annabeth whispered into his ear.

"You called me Percy," Jax whispered back.

"Yeah, I did," Annabeth whispered, "It was unintentional… if you don't want me to…"  
"No, that's good, I like it," Jax whispered back.

"Are you two done with your little whispered love fest so that I can continue reading?" Kylie asked. It was really annoying watching two people whisper without any clue what was going on or what they were saying.

"Just keep reading, Kylie," Jax said, a little ticked.

**"But the river's right here."**

**"I have to get something," he said. "It's the only way." He marched off without waiting.**

**I frowned. Nico hadn't mentioned anything about going inside the gates. But now that we were here, I didn't know what else to do.**

Annabeth smelled a trap. If Nico was here at that moment, he would have wished he was not.

**Reluctantly, I followed him down the beach toward the big black** **gates.**

**Lines of the dead stood outside waiting to get in. It must've been a heavy day for funerals, because even the EZ-DEATH line was backed up.**

"Typhon," Joel whispered.

_**"Woof!" **_**Mrs. O'Leary said. Before I could stop her she bounded toward the security checkpoint.**

**Cerberus, the guard dog of Hades, appeared out of the gloom-a three-headed rottweiler so big he made Mrs. O'Leary look like a toy poodle.**

**Cerberus was half transparent, so he's really hard to see until he's close enough to kill you, but he acted like he didn't care about us. He was too busy saying hello to Mrs. O'Leary.**

"Nico did not take you there?" Reyna yelled at Jax.

"Where are you talking about?" Ryan asked.

"Did he, Percy?" Annabeth asked. Jax grimaced, and Reyna and Annabeth both looked outraged, everyone else was confused.

"What's up?" Hazel asked the three. She was ignored like Ryan.

"How are you still alive?" Reyna asked. Jax shrugged. It was fuzzy.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Kylie yelled at them.

"Just keep reading, and you will see," Reyna said.

**"Mrs. O'Leary, no!" I shouted at her. "Don't sniff ...Oh, man."**

Reyna and Marcus smiled. Hellhounds will be hellhounds. Ryan laughed.

**Nico smiled.** **Then he looked at me and his expression turned all serious again, like he'd remembered something unpleasant.**

Annabeth glared at the book. When she got her hands on Nico…

**"Come on. They won't give us any trouble in the line. You're with me."**

**I didn't like it, but we slipped through the security ghouls and into the Fields of Asphodel.**

**I had to whistle for Mrs. O'Leary three times before she left Cerberus alone and ran after us.**

**We hiked over black fields of grass dotted with black poplar trees. If I really died in a few days like the prophecy said, I might end up here forever,**

"Percy!" Annabeth reprimanded. Did he really have to think like that?

"You know, that is the second time you've called him that," Kylie pointed out.

"And…" Annabeth said. Kylie just shrugged and continued reading.

**but I tried not to think about that.**

_Then did they really have to mention it? _Annabeth thought.

**Nico trudged ahead, bringing us closer and closer to the palace of Hades.**

**"Hey," I said, "we're inside the gates already. Where are we-?" Mrs. O'Leary growled. A shadow appeared overhead-something dark, cold, and stinking of death.**

**It swooped down and landed in the top of a poplar tree.**

**Unfortunately, I recognized her. She had a shriveled face, a horrible blue knit hat, and a crumpled velvet dress.**

Jax grabbed his pants pocket. Riptide seemed to vibrate against his leg.

**Leathery bat wings sprang from her back. Her feet had sharp talons, and in her brass-clawed hands she held a flaming whip and a paisley handbag.**

"A kindly one," growled Harley. She had some bad experiences with those things.

**"Mrs. Dodds," I said.**

**She bared her fangs. "Welcome back, honey."**

"Honey, eh?" Marcus laughed, "Watch out, Annabeth, you may have some competition." Annabeth rolled her eyes, Jax kicked Marcus in the back, and Gwen made a disgusted face.

"I think I'm safe," Annabeth said.

**Her two sisters-the other Furies-swooped down and settled next to** **her in the branches of the poplar.**

**"You know Alecto?" Nico asked me.**

"Yes…" groaned Jax.

**"If you mean the hag in the middle, yeah," I said.**

"Why do you always insult?" Annabeth asked.

"It makes them angrier and, because of this, more reckless," Jax explained.

"But what if they were not planning on attacking you? I doubt Alecto was at that moment," Annabeth replied. Jax looked at her for a moment and then uttered an intelligent, "Oh."

"Whi-ipped!" Ryan said. Kylie jabbed him in the chest with her elbow and continued to read.

**"She was my math teacher."**

**Nico nodded, like this didn't surprise him. He looked up at the Fury and took a deep breath. "I've done what my father asked. Take us to the palace."**

"Nico is so dead," Annabeth muttered.

"No, Annabeth, he helps me later," Jax whispered.

**I tensed. "Wait a second, Nico. What do you-"**

**"I'm afraid this is my new lead, Percy. My father promised me information about my family, but he wants to see you before we try the river. I'm sorry."**

"Nico is an absolute…" Gwen could not hear the rest of Harley's exclamation because Jax covered her ears protectively. When Jax uncovered them, Dakota was speaking.

"As demigods, aren't we all?" he asked. Gwen turned to her brother.

"What did she say?" Gwen whined. Jax shook his head. Gwen crossed her arms and complained, "I never get to know anything!"

**"You **_**tricked **_**me?" I was so mad I couldn't think. I lunged at him,** **but the Furies were fast. Two of them swooped down and plucked me up by the arms. My sword fell out of my hand, and before I knew it, I was dangling sixty feet in the air.**

**"Oh, don't struggle, honey," my old math teacher cackled in my ear.**

**"I'd hate to drop you."**

"I am so sure," Reyna said. The Kindly Ones hated her, and the feeling was mutual.

**Mrs. O'Leary barked angrily and jumped, trying to reach me, but we were too high.**

**"Tell Mrs. O'Leary to behave," Nico warned.**

**He was hovering near me in the clutches of the third Fury. "I don't want her to get hurt, Percy. My father is waiting. He just wants to talk."**

"Ptah! I'm sure," spat Annabeth. There had never been a time Hades just wanted to talk.

"You know, according to my mom, those were the first words Pluto said to her after abducting her via flower," Reyna said.

**I wanted to tell Mrs. O'Leary to attack Nico, but it wouldn't have done any good, and Nico was right about one thing: my dog could get hurt if she tried to pick a fight with the Furies.**

**I gritted my teeth. "Mrs. O'Leary, down! It's okay, girl."**

**She whimpered and turned in circles, looking up at me.**

**"All right, traitor," I growled at Nico. "You've got your prize. Take me to the stupid palace."**

**Alecto dropped me like a sack of turnips in the middle of the palace garden.**

"Why turnips?" Ryan asked. A look from Reyna told him it was not time to joke.

**It was beautiful in a creepy way. Skeletal white trees grew from marble basins. Flower beds overflowed with golden plants and gemstones.**

"It is a beautiful place," commented Reyna. When she visited the underworld, this is where she would spend a lot of her time.

**A pair of thrones, one bone and one silver, sat on the balcony with a view of the Fields of Asphodel.**

**It would've been a nice place to spend a Saturday morning except for the sulfurous smell and the cries of tortured souls in the distance.**

"That's why I have an iPod," Reyna said.

**Skeletal warriors guarded the only exit. They wore tattered U.S. Army desert combat fatigues and carried M16s.**

**The third Fury deposited Nico next to me.**

**Then all three of them settled on the top of the skeletal throne. I resisted the urge to strangle Nico. They'd only stop me. I'd have to wait for my revenge.**

**I stared at the empty thrones, waiting for something to happen. Then the air shimmered.**

**Three figures appeared-Hades and Persephone on their thrones, and an older woman standing between them.**

**They seemed to be in the middle of an argument.**

"When Ceres is there, there is always an argument," Reyna grumbled.

"Hey, that's my mom you are talking about!" Hazel said. Kylie began reading before a fight broke out. No matter how entertaining a fight would be…

**"-told you he was a bum!" the older woman said.**

"And the fun begins," sighed Reyna.

**"Mother!" Persephone replied.**

**"We have visitors!" Hades barked. "Please!"**

**Hades, one of my least favorite gods, smoothed his black robes, which were covered with the terrified faces of the damned.**

"Oh, and look, Jax is the one who cursed so that Gwen could hear it," Harley pointed out.

"What does that even mean?" Gwen asked her brother, who was looking mad at his own thoughts.

"Just don't say it," Jax told Gwen. His cheeks were red with embarrassment.

"Hey," Annabeth said, "At least this isn't your quest to save me. Thalia and Grover told me about your Hoover 'dam' experience." Jax went even redder.

"We weren't cursing though," Jax said as Kylie got bored with the conversation and began reading again.

**He had pale skin and the intense eyes of a madman.**

**"Percy Jackson," he said with satisfaction. "At last."**

**Queen Persephone studied me curiously. I'd seen her once before in the winter, but now in the summer she looked like a totally different goddess.**

**She had lustrous black hair and warm brown eyes. Her dress shimmered with colors. Flower patterns in the fabric changed and bloomed-roses, tulips, honey suckle.**

**The woman standing between them was obviously Persephone's mother.**

**She had the same hair and eyes, but looked older and sterner.**

**Her dress was golden, the color of a wheat field. Her hair was woven with dried grasses so it reminded me of a wicker basket.**

**I figured if somebody lit a match next to her, she'd be in serious trouble.**

Hazel gave Jax a skeptical look. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"She looked like a fire hazard," Jax said, taking the glare he received without a flinch.

**"Hmmph," the older woman said. "Demigods. Just what we need."**

**Next to me, Nico knelt. I wished I had my sword so I could cut his stupid head off.**

Ryan snorted. Kylie smacked her brother, "This isn't funny!"

**Unfortunately, Riptide was still out in the fields somewhere.**

**"Father, "Nico said. "I have done as you asked."**

**"Took you long enough," Hades grumbled. "Your sister would've done a better job."**

"Harsh," Marcus whispered.

**Nico lowered his head. If I hadn't been so mad at the little creep, I might've felt sorry for him…**

"Wow, Nico should be glad you haven't gone into the river yet," Kylie said.

**I glared up at the god of the dead." What do you want, Hades?"**

"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth muttered, rolling her eyes.

**"To talk, of course." The god twisted his mouth in a cruel smile.**

**"Didn't Nico tell you?"**

**"So this whole quest was a lie. Nico brought me down here to get me killed."**

**"Oh, no," Hades said. "I'm afraid Nico was quite sincere about wanting to help you. The boy is as honest as he is dense.**

"See why I don't like him," Reyna said. Everyone nodded. No one deserved to be called stupid by their dad.

**I simply convinced him to take a small detour and bring you here first."**

**"Father," Nico said, "you promised that Percy would not be harmed.**

**You said if I brought him, you would tell me about my past-about my mother."**

**Queen Persephone sighed dramatically. "Can we **_**please **_**not talk about **_**that woman **_**in my presence?"**

"Mom," Reyna said, thinking about all the times she had asked why Proserpina had gone with her dad. Pluto did the same thing.

**"I'm sorry, my dove," Hades said. "I had to promise the boy something."**

**The older lady harrumphed. "I warned you, daughter. This scoundrel Hades is no good.**

"If she is speaking about the kids… isn't Proserpina an incest offspring?" Harley asked, "Isn't Jupiter her dad?"

"Hey!" Hazel and Reyna said together.

"God blood doesn't count!" Reyna said.

**You could've married the god of doctors or the god of lawyers, but **_**noooo. **_**You had to eat the pomegranate."**

"Marrying Apollo… maybe that's why he has no wife," Annabeth reasoned. Jax snorted.

"Yeah, that's it," He said sarcastically.

**"Mother-"**

**"And get stuck in the Underworld!"**

**"Mother, please-"**

**"And here it is August, and do you come home like you're supposed to? Do you ever think about your poor lonely mother?"**

**"DEMETER!" Hades shouted. "That is enough. You are a guest in my house."**

"Is she going to treat me like this?" Dakota asked Hazel. Ceres was terrifying.

"Her Roman form is nicer," Hazel assured her boyfriend.

**"Oh, a house is it?" she said. "You call this dump a house? Make my daughter live in this dark, damp-".**

**"I told you," Hades said, grinding his teeth, "there's a **_**war **_**in the world above.**

**You and Persephone are better off here with me."**

**"Excuse me," I broke in. "But if you're going to kill me, could you just get on with it?"**

"Yes, stop our misery!" Ryan begged, getting fed up with the argument, "This argument is torture."

**All three gods looked at me.**

**"Well, this one has an attitude," Demeter observed.**

"So glad your mom noticed," Jax said to Hazel.

"You know, one day a god is going to vaporize you," Hazel told Jax in return.

**"Indeed," Hades agreed. "I'd love to kill him."**

**"Father!" Nico said. "You promised!"**

**"Husband, we talked about this," Persephone chided.**

**"You can't go around incinerating every hero. Besides, he's brave. I like that."**

"Ooh, more competition for Annabeth," Marcus said, "All the underworld chicks are into Jax."

"Chicks?" Reyna asked dangerously.

**Hades rolled his eyes. "You liked that Orpheus fellow too. Look how well that turned out. Let me kill him, just a little bit."**

"Now how does that work?" Hazel asked.

"Pluto has never been bright, I guess Hades is the same way," Reyna said.

**"Father, you promised!" Nico said. "You said you only wanted to talk to him. You said if I brought him, you'd explain."**

**Hades glowered, smoothing the folds of his robes. "And so I shall. Your mother-what can I tell you? She was a wonderful woman."**

**He glanced uncomfortably at Persephone. "Forgive me, my dear. I mean for a mortal, of course.** **Her name was Maria di Angelo. She was from Venice, but her father was a diplomat in Washington, D.C.** **That's where I met her. When you and your sister were young, it was a bad time to be children of Hades. World War II was brewing. A few of my, ah, **_**other **_**children were leading the losing side. I thought it best to put you two out of harm's way."**

"Wow, he's ancient, like as old as some minor gods… like the god of mustard gas, Howie," Ryan said.

"There is a god of mustard gas?" Reyna asked incredulously. Ryan nodded seriously.

**"That's why you hid us in the Lotus Casino?"**

**Hades shrugged. "You didn't age. You didn't realize time was passing. I waited for the right time to bring you out."**

**"But what happened to our mother? Why don't I remember her?"**

**"Not important," Hades snapped.**

"I'm gonna guess Lethe," Harley said.

"It is in the underworld," Joel agreed.

_**"What? **_**Of course it's important. And you had other children-why were we the only ones who were sent away?** **And who was the lawyer who got us out?"**

**Hades grit his teeth. "You would do well to listen more and talk less, boy. As for the lawyer ..."**

**Hades snapped his fingers. On top of his throne, the Fury Alecto began to change until she was a middle-aged man in a pinstriped suit with a briefcase. She-he-looked strange crouching at Hades' shoulder.**

"Hmmm," Kylie hummed uncomfortably.

**"You!" Nico said.**

**The Fury cackled. "I do lawyers and teachers very well!"**

**Nico was trembling. "But why did you free us from the casino?"**

**"You know why," Hades said. "This idiot son of Poseidon cannot be allowed to be the child of the prophecy."**

**I plucked a ruby off the nearest plant and threw it at Hades. It sank harmlessly into his robe.**

"The point of that was…?" Harley asked Jax who looked at her sheepishly.

**"You should be helping Olympus!" I said.** **"All the other gods are fighting Typhon, and you're just sitting here-"**

**"Waiting things out," Hades finished. "Yes, that's correct. When's the last time Olympus ever helped me, half-blood?**

"It's your freaking family you Son of a…" Marcus spat.

"Finish that sentence and I will personally throw you out of the tent," Jax said.

**When's the last time a child of **_**mine **_**was ever welcomed as a hero? Bah! Why should I rush out and help them? I'll stay here with my forces intact."**

**"And when Kronos comes after you?"**

**"Let him try. He'll be weakened. And my son here, Nico-"**

**Hades looked at him with distaste.**

Annabeth's anger towards Nico was replaced with sadness for him. Hades was so mean!

**"Well, he's not much now, I'll grant you.** **It would've been better if Bianca had lived.**

Jax felt the desire to hit something, preferably Hades' pompous face. He settled for the seat next to him.

**But give him four more years of training. We can hold out that long , surely.** **Nico will turn sixteen, as the prophecy says, and then **_**he **_**will make the decision that will save the world. And I will be king of the gods."**

"He wants his son's soul reaped," Marcus muttered.

**"You're crazy," I said.**

"Definitely," muttered Reyna.

**"Kronos will crush you, right after he finished pulverizing Olympus."**

**Hades spread his hands. "Well, you'll get a chance to find out, half-blood.** **Because you'll be waiting out this war in my dungeons."**

"How'd you get out? I spent a weekend in there once. My mom had to let me out," Reyna said, shuddering at the memory.

**"No!" Nico said. "Father, that wasn't our agreement. And you haven't told me everything!"**

**"I've told you all you need to know," Hades said. "As for our agreement, I spoke with Jackson.**

**I did not harm him. You got your information. If you had wanted a better deal, you should've made me swear on the Styx. Now, go to your room!"**

"Jerk," Reyna spat.

**He waved his hand, and Nico vanished.**

**"That boy needs to eat more," Demeter grumbled. "He's too skinny. He needs more cereal."**

**Persephone rolled her eyes. "Mother, enough with the cereal. My lord Hades, are you sure we can't let this little hero go? He's awfully brave."**

"Yeah, go with Mom," Reyna said.

**"No, my dear. I've spared his life. That's enough."**

**I was sure she was going to stand up for me. The brave, beautiful** **Persephone was going to get me out of this.**

Annabeth smacked him on the backside of the head. "Oww!" Jax said.

"That did not hurt," she said.

"True," Jax replied, "you are pretty, and all the time too," Jax whispered the last part to Annabeth.

"Nice save, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said.

**She shrugged indifferently. "Fine. What's for breakfast? I'm starving."**

**"Cereal," Demeter said.**

_**"Mother!" **_**The two women disappeared in a swirl of flowers and wheat.**

"Mom's cereal obsession is annoying," Hazel admitted.

**"Don't feel too bad, Percy Jackson," Hades said. "My ghosts keep me well informed of Kronos' plans. I can assure you that you had no chance to stop him in time.**

"Hah," Jax smiled triumphantly at that.

**By tonight, it will be too late for your precious Mount Olympus. The trap will be sprung."**

**"What trap?" I demanded. "If you know about it, do something! At least let me tell the other gods!"**

**Hades smiled. "You are spirited. I'll give you credit for that. Have fun in my dungeon. We'll check on you again in-oh, fifty or sixty** **years."**

"That's the end of the…" Kylie did not finish her sentence.

"I'll read next," Annabeth said.

"…chapter. Fine," Kylie threw Annabeth the book.

"Let's try to get two more in before lunch," Annabeth said before she began reading.

* * *

**Okay, so do you want Daniel or Jason... If you say Jason, he may not show up for another 10 to 15 chapters... if that. Please R&R to tell me! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**eMMeD:)**


	12. I TAKE THE WORST BATH EVER

**A/N: Okay, sorry about the late update. School's been a demon lately. I think my Chemistry teacher may be Mrs. Dodds. Anyways, if I have not already mentioned it, I'm going to keep calling Jax Jax for simplicity's sake. **

**Disclaimer: I do not know nearly enough about mythology to write what Riordan does.

* * *

**

**Chapter Eight: I Take the Worst Bath Ever**, Annabeth read.

The anticipation was reflected by how quiet the room was.

**My sword reappeared in my pocket.**

"That's awesome," Dakota snorted.

"Yeah, the timing is perfect," Harley added.

**Yeah, great timing.**

"Looks like you and Jax think alike," Hazel said to Harley who made a face.

"No offense Jax, but you aren't the brightest bulb," Harley said.

"You know, that whole 'no offense' thing really does not make an impact," Jax told Harley.

**Now I could attack the walls all I wanted.**

**My cell had no bars, no windows, not even a door.**

Reyna shuddered. She hated those cells. It was terrifying in there.

**The skeletal guards shoved me straight through a wall, and it became solid behind me. I wasn't sure if the room was airtight.**

"It's not, unfortunately," Reyna said. She would rather die than be stuck in there.

**Probably. Hades' dungeon was meant for dead people and they don't breathe.**

"Well, if you are in the one he means for dead people. You might be in the one especially designed for the living demigods who annoy him," Reyna said.

"Reyna, no offense, but I really don't need the commentary," Jax said.

"If what you said is true, Jax, Reyna still took offense," Harley pointed out. Reyna shrugged, and waved for Annabeth to keep reading.

**So forget fifty or sixty years. I'd be dead in fifty or sixty minutes.**

Annabeth shuddered and Gwen grabbed Jax's leg. "Don't think like that," Annabeth commanded.

**Meanwhile, if Hades wasn't lying, some big trap was going to be sprung in New York by the end of the day, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.**

**I sat on the cold stone floor, feeling miserable.**

**I don't remember dozing off. Then again, it must've been about seven in the morning, mortal time, and I'd been through a lot.**

**I dreamed I was on the porch of Rachel's beach house in St. Thomas.**

"Jax, you sure dream about Rachel a lot," Dakota said. Jax shrugged.

"We're friends," he said. Ryan laughed aloud.

"Well I'm glad I'm not that close to you then," murmured Marcus, "Annabeth, you might want to keep an eye on Jax around a certain redhead." Annabeth quirked an eyebrow, but decided just to keep reading. She had nothing to fear of Rachel any longer.

**The sun was rising over the Caribbean. Dozens of wooded islands dotted the sea, and white sails cut across the water.**

**The smell of salt air made me wonder if I would ever see the ocean again. Rachel's parents sat at the patio table while a personal chef fixed them omelets. Mr. Dare was dressed in a white linen suit.**

**He was reading **_**The Wall Street Journal. **_**The lady across the table was probably Mrs. Dare, though all I could see of her were hot pink fingernails and the cover of **_**Condé Nast Traveler.**_

"Does she have red hair like Rachel?" Kylie asked.

"Yeah... I think so," Jax said, scrunching up his face trying to picture Mrs. Dare, "Why?"

"That is utterly revolting," Hazel supplied for Kylie, who was too busy gagging to answer Jax.

**Why she'd be reading about vacations while she was on vacation, I wasn't sure.**

"That makes no sense whatsoever," Reyna agreed. In her mind she was comparing her mother with Mrs. Dare. If Proserpina spent her free summers reading about other people's fun, she might as well still be stuck in the freaking underworld.

**Rachel stood at the porch railing and sighed. She wore Bermuda shorts and her van-Gogh T-shirt.**

**(Yeah, Rachel was trying to teach me about art, but don't get too impressed. I only remembered the dude's name because he cut his ear off.)**

Annabeth smirked. "Never tell Rachel that," she whispered to Jax.

**I wondered if she was thinking about me, and how much it sucked that I wasn't with them on vacation.**

Annabeth looked at Jax with a mingled anger and amusement. "Sorry…" Jax muttered after a second, and Annabeth snorted.

"We weren't together then."

**I know that's what **_**I **_**was thinking.**

**Then the scene changed. I was in St. Louis, standing downtown under the Arch. I'd been there before.**

"Yeah, and it was amazing," Jax added dryly.

"Well if I could take you anywhere without you nearly dying, it would have been," Annabeth remarked, continuing to read before Jax could respond.

**In fact, I'd almost fallen to my death there before.**

"Can we just get to Styx?" Ryan moaned. This chapter was taking too long to get to the point.

**Over the city, a thunderstorm boiled-a wall of absolute black with lightning streaking across the sky. A few blocks away, a swarm of emergency vehicles gathered with their lights flashing.**

**A column of dust rose from a mound of rubble, which I realized was a collapsed skyscraper.**

"Typhon," mumbled half the room.

"So many people died because of that monster," Hazel whispered in a savage voice that did not fit her petite frame. She hated that monster… she hated how many families it had ruined. Dakota put an arm around Hazel, comfortingly.

**A nearby reporter was yelling into her microphone: "Officials are describing this as a structural failure, Dan, though no one seems to know if it is related to the storm conditions."**

**Wind whipped her hair. The temperature was dropping rapidly, like ten degrees just since I'd been standing there.**

**"Thankfully, the building had been abandoned for demolition," she said.**

Hazel visibly relaxed, but Dakota did not move his arm.

**"But police have evacuated all nearby buildings for fear the collapse might trigger-"**

**She faltered as a mighty groan cut through the sky. A blast of lightning hit the center of the darkness. The entire city shook.**

**The air glowed, and every hair on my body stood up. The blast was so powerful I knew it could only be one thing: Zeus's master bolt.**

"Here come the gods," Ryan said in almost a wedding march tone.

**It should have vaporized its target, but the dark cloud only staggered backward.**

**A smoky fist appeared out of the clouds. It smashed another tower, and the whole thing collapsed like children's blocks.**

"I doubt that one was empty," Reyna snarled.

**The reporter screamed. People ran through the streets.**

**Emergency lights flashed. I saw a streak of silver in the sky-a chariot pulled by reindeer, but it wasn't Santa Claus driving.**

"I would love to see the look on Thalia's face if you called Artemis Santa Claus in front of her," Annabeth said, trying to work up a laugh, but she barely managed a smile.

**It was Artemis, riding the storm, shooting shafts of moonlight into the darkness. A fiery golden comet crossed her path... maybe her brother Apollo.**

**One thing was clear: Typhon had made it to the Mississippi River. He was halfway across the U.S., leaving destruction in his wake, and the gods were barely slowing him down.**

**The mountain of darkness loomed above me. A foot the size of Yankee Stadium was about to smash me when a voice hissed,**

_**"Percy!"**_

**I lunged out blindly.**

**Before I was fully awake, I had Nico pinned to the floor of the cell with the edge of my sword at his throat.**

"For a blind lunge, that's brilliant," Harley said.

"Thanks, I guess," Jax said. He was not used to hearing Harley compliment people without a hidden insult.

**"Want ...to ...rescue," he choked.**

**Anger woke me up fast. "Oh, yeah? And why should I trust you?"**

**"No ...choice?" he gagged.**

A few people snickered.

"It's a viable point," Joel said, his face still stony.

**I wished he hadn't said something logical like that.**

"Yeah, well, when it comes to logic, Percy, you are not well armed," Annabeth laughed. Gwen glared at Annabeth.

"Jax is smart!" Gwen said defensively, but Jax just laughed.

"Gwen, we both know Annabeth is right," he said before he continued reading.

**I let him go. Nico curled into a ball and made retching sounds while his throat recovered.**

"Even without Achilles' Curse you are terrifying," Marcus said, scooting away slightly.

**Finally he got to his feet, eyeing my sword warily.**

**His own blade was sheathed. I suppose if he'd wanted to kill me, he could've done it while I slept.** **Still, I didn't trust him. "We have to get out of here," he said.**

**"Why?" I said. "Does your dad want to **_**talk **_**to me again?"**

"That probably hurt really bad," Hazel said sympathetically.

**He winced. "Percy, I swear on the River Styx, I didn't know what he was planning."**

**"You know what your dad is like!"**

**"He tricked me. He promised-" Nico held up his hands.**

**"Look . . . right now, we need to leave. I put the guards to sleep, but it won't last."**

**I wanted to strangle him again.**

"Do you ever feel that way about us?" Kylie asked.

"When people take my sword, yeah," Jax said, and Kylie and Reyna both looked at the ground, but Ryan did not notice a thing. He was too excited about hearing about the River Styx to care.

**Unfortunately, he was right. We didn't have time to argue, and I couldn't escape on my own. He pointed at the wall. A whole section vanished, revealing a corridor.**

**"Come on." Nico led the way.**

**I wished I had Annabeth's invisibility hat,** **but as it turned out, I didn't need it. Every time we came to a skeleton guard, Nico just pointed at it, and its glowing eyes dimmed.**

"That is insane!" Marcus said.

**Unfortunately, the more Nico did it, the more tired he seemed.**

"Okay so maybe there is a downside," Marcus said.

**We walked through a maze of corridors filled with guards. By the time we reached a kitchen staffed by skeletal cooks and servants, I was practically carrying Nico.**

**He managed to put all the dead to sleep but nearly passed out himself.**

**I dragged him out of the servants' entrance and into the Fields of Asphodel.**

**I almost felt relieved until I heard the sound of bronze gongs high in the castle.**

**"Alarms," Nico murmured sleepily.**

**"What do we do?"**

**He yawned then frowned like he was trying to remember. "How about . . . run?"**

"Great advice," Harley said sarcastically.

"Yeah, you have not lived until you try to drag a half-asleep halfblood through the field of death," Jax said.

**Running with a drowsy child of Hades was more like doing a three-legged race with a life-size rag doll.**

**I lugged him along, holding my sword in front of me. The spirits of the dead made way like the Celestial bronze was a blazing fire.**

**The sound of gongs rolled across the fields. Ahead loomed the walls of Erebos, but the longer we walked, the farther away they seemed.**

**I was about to collapse from exhaustion when I heard a familiar **_**"WOOOOOF!"**_

"Here's Jax's dog," Marcus sang.

**Mrs. O'Leary bounded out of nowhere and ran circles around us, ready to play.**

**"Good girl.'" I said. "Can you give us a ride to the Styx?"**

**The word **_**Styx**_** got her excited. She probably thought I meant **_**sticks.**_

"She's a hellhound, Percy," Annabeth said more to the book than the boy next to her.

"Yes, and…" Jax asked, not getting it.

"Seaweed Brain, Mrs. O'Leary uses logs as sticks," Annabeth said, explaining half way.

"Oh."

**She jumped a few times, chased her tail just to teach it who was boss, and then calmed down enough for me to push Nico onto her back.**

**I climbed aboard, and she raced toward the gates. She leaped straight over the EZ-DEATH line, sending guards sprawling and causing more alarms to blare.**

"And how do you get out of the Underworld alive exactly?" Joel asked Jax. Jax thought for a moment and then shrugged.

"I don't remember exactly, but I obviously did," Jax said truthfully.

**Cerberus barked, but he sounded more excited than angry, like: **_**Can I play too?**_

**Fortunately, he didn't follow us, and Mrs. O'Leary kept running.**

**She didn't stop until we were far upriver and the fires of Erebos had disappeared in the murk.**

**Nico slid off Mrs. O'Leary's back and crumpled in a heap on the black sand.**

**I took out a square of ambrosia-part of the emergency god-food**

**I always kept with me. It was a little bashed up, but Nico chewed it.**

**"Uh," he mumbled. "Better."**

**"Your powers drain you too much," I noted.**

**He nodded sleepily. "With great power . . . comes great need to take a nap.**

"Nico has no respect for a classic line," Harley said. Spiderman was Connor's favorite superhero. She almost missed his continual spouting of Spiderman facts.

**Wake me up later."**

**"Whoa, zombie dude."**

"Wow, and I actually thought you were funny," Ryan said, taking offense at the horrible joke.

"That's only in his mind. He's not great at expressing it,"Annabeth said.

"Hey!" Jax said, causing everyone to laugh, even Gwen.

**I caught him before he could pass out again.**

**"We're at the river. You need to tell me what to do."**

Ryan jumped on the edge of the bed, "Finally!"

**I fed him the last of my ambrosia, which was a little dangerous.**

"A little," Annabeth said shaking her head.

**The stuff can heal demigods, but it can also burn us to ashes if we eat too much.**

**Fortunately, it seemed to do the trick. Nico shook his head a few times and struggled to his feet.**

**"My father will be coming soon," he said. "We should hurry."**

**The River Styx's current swirled with strange objects-broken toys, ripped-up college diplomas, wilted homecoming corsages-all the dreams people had thrown away as they'd passed from life into death.**

"And you are going to jump into that?" Kylie asked.

"Yeah…" Jax said. He suddenly remembered what was about to happen, and he felt his cheeks go red. It would be one thing if it was just Annabeth here, but…

**Looking at the black water, I could think of about three million places I'd rather swim.**

"Yeah, including the East River," Jax muttered.

**"So . . . I just jump in?"**

Annabeth hit Jax with the book. "Oww," Jax said rubbing his head.

"You can't feel that," she said as she continued reading.

**"You have to prepare yourself first," Nico said, "or the river will destroy you. It will burn away your body and soul."**

"Oooo…" Gwen groaned, grabbing her brother's leg again. Jax reached down and ruffled her hair.

**"Sounds fun," I muttered.**

**"This is no joke," Nico warned. "There is only one way to stay anchored to your mortal life. You have to . . ."**

"Aarg!" yelled Ryan.

**He glanced behind me and his eyes widened. I turned and found myself face-to-face with a Greek warrior.**

Annabeth's eyes grew large. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Maybe you should read and find out," Jax said with an annoying smug. Annabeth hit him with the book again, and then she decided to continue reading.

**For a second I thought he was Ares, because this guy looked exactly like the god of war-tall and buff, with a cruel scarred face and closely shaved black hair.**

**He wore a white tunic and bronze armor. He held a plumed war helm under his arm. But his eyes were human-pale green like a shallow sea-and a bloody arrow stuck out of his left calf, just above the ankle.**

**I stunk at Greek names, but even I knew the greatest warrior of all time, who had died from a wounded heel.**

**"Achilles," I said.**

"Woah!" Reyna, Harley, Kylie, Dakota, and Marcus said together. Annabeth looked smug. She'd known it.

"You meet all the cool people!" Ryan whined.

"Yeah and I also nearly die the most," Jax said.

**The ghost nodded. "I warned the other one not to follow my path. Now I will warn you."**

**"Luke? You spoke with Luke?"**

**"Do not do this," he said. "It will make you powerful. But it will also make you weak.**

**Your prowess in combat will be beyond any mortal's, but your weaknesses, your failings will increase as well."**

Annabeth set the book onto her lap for a second and looked at Jax. Gwen said exactly what everyone Annabeth was thinking, "Jax isn't weak."

"Well, my anger got worse," Jax said, and Reyna, Ryan, and Kylie all shuddered. Annabeth smiled at Jax.

"You also got more compassionate," she said. Marcus and Gwen joined together in a loud wretch.

"Too gushy," Gwen said. Jax laughed and beckoned for Annabeth to keep reading.

**"You mean I'll have a bad heel?" I said.**

**"Couldn't I just, like, wear something besides sandals? No offense."**

Annabeth rolled her eyes.

**He stared down at his bloody foot. "The heel is only my **_**physical **_**weakness, demigod. My mother, Thetis, held me there when she dipped me in the Styx. What really killed me was my own arrogance. Beware! Turn back!"**

"Yes, Jax just went through all the trouble to get here, and now he's just going to walk right away because you told him to," Harley said, rolling her eyes. Did this guy know nothing about Jax?

**He meant it. I could hear the regret and bitterness in his voice.**

**He was honestly trying to save me from a terrible fate.**

**Then again, Luke had been here, and he hadn't turned back.**

_**That's **_**why Luke had been able to host the spirit of Kronos without his body disintegrating.**

**This is how he'd prepared himself, and why he seemed impossible to kill. He had bathed in the River Styx and taken on the powers of the greatest mortal hero, Achilles.**

**He was invincible.**

**"I have to," I said. "Otherwise I don't stand a chance."**

**Achilles lowered his head. "Let the gods witness I tried. Hero, if you must do this, concentrate on your mortal point.**

Now was the time. Annabeth knew she should only refer to his spot as the Achilles' Spot. It was up to Jax if he wanted to tell them where it was.

**Imagine one spot of your body that will remain vulnerable. This is the point where your soul will anchor your body to the world. It will be your greatest weakness, but also your only hope.**

**No man may be completely invulnerable. Lose sight of what keeps you mortal, and the River Styx will burn you to ashes. You will cease to exist."**

**"I don't suppose you could tell me Luke's mortal point?"**

"Yeah, sure, Jax. I'll just tell you where it is," Harley said in a sarcastic imitation of Achilles' voice.

**He scowled. "Prepare yourself, foolish boy. Whether you survive this or not, you have sealed your doom!"**

Annabeth shivered when she read that. It was definitely dramatic, but with what they were about to face with the Giants…

**With that happy thought, he vanished.**

**"Percy," Nico said, "maybe he's right."**

**"This was **_**your **_**idea."**

**"I know, but now that we're here-"**

**"Just wait on the shore. If anything happens to me . . . Well, maybe Hades will get his wish, and you'll be the child of the prophecy after all."**

"Imagine what would have happened to Nico after Jax's dip," Kylie said.

**He didn't look pleased about that, but I didn't care.**

**Before I could change my mind, I concentrated on the small of my back-a tiny point just opposite my navel.**

Annabeth omitted the last part of that sentence and replaced it with "a certain part of my body."

"Oh!" groaned Ryan, "we don't get to know where it is."

"Not really any of our business any ways," Hazel said with a shrug.

**It was well defended when I wore my armor. It would be hard to hit by accident, and few enemies would aim for it on purpose.**

"Good job, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth whispered to Jax.

**No place was perfect, but this seemed right to me, and a lot more dignified than, like, my armpit or something.**

Annabeth tried to hide the shadow she felt crossing her face.

**I pictured a string, a bungee cord connecting me to the world from the small of my back **("my mortal point" Annabeth substituted)**. And I stepped into the river.**

"Yes!" Ryan said.

**Imagine jumping into a pit of boiling acid.**

Annabeth gasped as she read that line. She looked at Jax worriedly.

"I'm fine, "Jax said.

**Now multiply that pain times fifty**. **You still won't be close to understanding what it felt like to swim in the Styx.**

Now Jax was not fine. He had forgotten the pain that had been involved, but now it came back as real as it had then. He felt as if he was once again submerged in the River.

"Percy, are you okay?" Annabeth asked as she Jax began to writhe in pain. He fell from the trunk onto all fours, barely missing Gwen as he tumbled. Gwen looked between her brother and Annabeth with terror in her eyes. Everyone gathered around Jax.

"What's wrong?" Gwen asked as Jax continued to writhe and moan in pain. No one answered her. Jax knew the answer and attempted to gasp out a reply.

"Keep… reading..."was all Jax could muster through his pain. Annabeth nodded and picked the book up off the floor. It took her a second to find her place, having lost it in the confusion, but she found it and began to read again loudly.

**I planned to walk in slow and courageous like a real hero.** **As soon as the water touched my legs, my muscles turned to jelly and I fell face-first into the current. I submerged completely. For the first time in my life, I couldn't breathe underwater.**

**I finally understood the panic of drowning.**

**Every nerve in my body burned. I was dissolving in the water.**

Jax gave an even louder yelp of pain.

**I saw faces-Rachel, Grover, Tyson, my mother-but they faded as soon as they appeared.**

**"Percy," my mom said. "I give you my blessing."**

**"Be safe, brother!" Tyson pleaded.**

**"Enchiladas!" Grover said. I wasn't sure where that came from, but it didn't seem to help much.**

**I was losing the fight. The pain was too much. My hands and feet were melting into the water, my soul was being ripped from my body.**

**I couldn't remember who I was. The pain of Kronos's scythe had been nothing compared to this.**

Annabeth was near tears as she read this, hearing Jax yell out in pain.

_**The cord, **_**a familiar voice said. **_**Remember your lifeline, dummy!**_

**Suddenly there was a tug in my **(My mortal point) **lower back. The current pulled at me, but it wasn't carrying me away anymore. I imagined the string in my back keeping me tied to the shore.**

Jax began to relax. His muscles untensed, and the pain ended. He sat himself up, and everyone stared at him.

"What happened?" Gwen asked. Annabeth answered.

"Percy, you couldn't remember the River Styx, could you?" she asked. Jax gulped and nodded.

"But I'm fine now. Let's just keep reading," Jax said.

"But, Percy…"

"Just read," Jax said, looking away. He thought the next part might make Annabeth feel better. Annabeth did as he said.

**"Hold on, Seaweed Brain."**

Annabeth looked confused for a moment. "That's not me is it?" Jax nodded.

"What?" Ryan asked. This was confusing.

"You'll understand in a second," Jax said.

**It was Annabeth's voice, much clearer now. "You're not getting away from me that easily."**

Annabeth smiled slightly.

**The cord strengthened.**

**I could see Annabeth now-standing barefoot above me on the canoe lake pier.**

**I'd fallen out of my canoe. That was it. She was reaching out her hand to haul me up, and she was trying not to laugh.**

**She wore her orange camp T-shirt and jeans. Her hair was tucked up in her Yankees cap, which was strange because that should have made her invisible.**

**"You are such an idiot sometimes." She smiled. "Come on. Take my hand."**

"You saved him," Gwen said, "you are why he could make it." She was stunned. Annabeth really meant a lot to Jax. Maybe Gwen should give her a shot… maybe.

Jax nodded, and Annabeth went over to where Jax was on the floor and kissed his cheek.

**Memories came flooding back to me-sharper and more colorful. I stopped dissolving.**

**My name was Percy Jackson.**

**I reached up and took Annabeth's hand.**

**Suddenly I burst out of the river. I collapsed on the sand, and Nico scrambled back in surprise.**

"That was…" Kylie said, searching for the right word.

"Strange," filled in Harley.

"To say the least," Reyna added.

"But it was sweet," Hazel said.

**"Are you okay?" he stammered. "Your skin. Oh, gods. You're hurt!"**

Annabeth felt panic rising in her again as she looked over the top of the book to Jax.

"Wise Girl, I'm fine," he assured her for what felt like the millionth time.

**My arms were bright red. I felt like every inch of my body had been broiled over a slow flame.**

**I looked around for Annabeth, though I knew she wasn't here. It had seemed so real.**

"Awww," everyone cooed as Annabeth beamed at Jax.

**"I'm fine . . . I think." The color of my skin turned back to normal.**

**The pain subsided. Mrs. O'Leary came up and sniffed me with concern.**

**Apparently I smelled really interesting.**

"Yeah, delicious cooked meat," teased Hazel.

**"Do you feel stronger?" Nico asked.**

**Before I could decide **_**what **_**I felt, a voice boomed, "THERE!"**

Reyna cursed in Latin. This was definitely Hades.

**An army of the dead marched toward us. A hundred skeletal Roman legionnaires led the way with shields and spears.**

"Roman, guess the Greeks didn't wanna hurt you," Harley said.

"That's my guess," agreed Annabeth.

**Behind them came an equal number of British redcoats with bayonets fixed.**

**In the middle of the host, Hades himself rode a black-and-gold chariot pulled by nightmare horses, their eyes and manes smoldering with fire.**

"And you escaped?" Reyna asked, "Did my mom intervene?"

"I- I don't think so," Jax said. Annabeth continued reading so they could find out.

**"You will not escape me this time, Percy Jackson!" Hades bellowed.**

**"Destroy him!"**

**"Father, no!" Nico shouted, but it was too late. The front line of Roman zombies lowered their spears and advanced.**

**Mrs. O'Leary growled and got ready to pounce. Maybe that's what set me off. I didn't want them hurting my dog. Plus, I was tired of Hades being a big bully.**

"Seaweed Brain…" groaned Annabeth. Jax shrugged.

**If I was going to die, I might as well go down fighting.**

**I yelled, and the River Styx exploded.**

"Wow!"  
"Amazing!"  
"Freaking Awesome" and other accolades came from the Romans.

**A black tidal wave smashed into the legionnaires. Spears and shields flew everywhere. Roman zombies began to dissolve, smoke coming off their bronze helmets.**

**The redcoats lowered their bayonets, but I didn't wait for them. I charged.**

"That is stupid," Harley said.

"Only if it doesn't work," added Kylie.

**It was the stupidest thing I've ever done.**

**A hundred muskets fired at me, point blank. All of them missed. I crashed into their line and started hacking with Riptide. Bayonets jabbed. Swords slashed.**

**Guns reloaded and fired. Nothing touched me.**

Another round of accolades came from the Romans.

**I whirled through the ranks, slashing redcoats to dust, one after the other. My mind went on autopilot: stab, dodge, cut, deflect, roll.**

**Riptide was no longer a sword. It was an arc of pure destruction. I broke through the enemy line and leaped into the black chariot.**

"You never cease to amaze," Annabeth said in awe. Jax almost glowed at her praise.

**Hades raised his staff. A bolt of dark energy shot toward me, but I deflected it off my blade and slammed into him. The god and I both tumbled out of the chariot.**

"Wait to go, Jax!" Reyna said, pumping her arm into the air in triumph.

**The next thing I knew, my knee was planted on Hades' chest. I was holding the collar of his royal robes in one fist, and the tip of my sword was poised right over his face.**

**Silence. The army did nothing to defend their master. I glanced back and realized why. There was nothing left of them but weapons in the sand and piles of smoking, empty uniforms.**

Everyone continued to stare at Jax in awe.

**I had destroyed them all.**

**Hades swallowed. "Now, Jackson, listen here. . . ."**

**He was immortal. There was no way I could kill him, but gods can be wounded. I knew that firsthand, and I figured a sword in the face wouldn't feel too good.**

"Yeah, Hades would love that," Reyna smirked, but she doubted Hades would stay put. If he was as big a coward as Pluto, he'd be gone in a second.

**"Just because I'm a nice person," I snarled, "I'll let you go. But first, tell me about that trap!"**

**Hades melted into nothing, leaving me holding empty black robes.**

**I cursed and got to my feet, breathing heavily.**

**Now that the danger was over, I realized how tired I was.**

"Does Achilles' Curse weigh you down as much as Nico's powers?" Marcus asked. Jax nodded.

"Yep."

**Every muscle in my body ached. I looked down at my clothes. They were slashed to pieces and full of bullet holes, but I was fine. Not a mark on me.**

"You're like Superman," Dakota said.

"Just I can't fly and am not faster than a speeding bullet. Other than that, we're twins," Jax said sarcastically.

**Nico's mouth hung open. "You just . . . with a sword . . . you just-"**

**"I think the river thing worked," I said.**

**"Oh gee," he said sarcastically. **_**"You think?"**_

**Mrs. O'Leary barked happily and wagged her tail. She bounded around, sniffing empty uniforms and hunting for bones. I lifted Hades' robe. I could still see the tormented faces shimmering in the fabric.**

**I walked to the edge of the river. "Be free."**

**I dropped the robe in the water and watched as it swirled away, dissolving in the current.**

"Jax, you're sweet," Hazel told him. Jax was sure he blushed at that. What a manly thing to do.

**"Go back to your father," I told Nico. "Tell him he owes me for letting him go. Find out what's going to happen to Mount Olympus and convince him to help."**

"I'm sure Nico liked that," Annabeth commented.

**Nico stared at me. "I . . . I can't. He'll hate me now. I mean . . . even more."**

**"You have to," I said. "You owe me too."**

**His ears turned red. "Percy, I told you I was sorry. Please . . . let me come with you. I want to fight."**

**"You'll be more help down here."**

**"You mean you don't trust me anymore," he said miserably.**

**I didn't answer. I didn't know what I meant. I was too stunned by what I'd just done in battle to think clearly.**

**"Just go back to your father," I said, trying not to sound too harsh.**

**"Work on him. You're the only person who might be able to get him to listen."**

"That probably made him more confident though. You gave him a job that only he could complete," Annabeth said.

"Yeah, but I was still a little harsh on him," Jax commented.

**"That's a depressing thought."** **Nico sighed. "All right. I'll do my best. Besides, he's still hiding something from me about my mom. Maybe I can find out what."**

**"Good luck. Now Mrs. O'Leary and I have to go."**

**"Where?" Nico said.**

**I looked at the cave entrance and thought about the long climb back to the world of the living. "To get this war started. It's time I found Luke."**

"That's the end of the chapter," Annabeth sighed. That was more taxing than she thought it would be.

"Are we still going to read one more chapter before lunch?" Harley asked, looking at Annabeth worriedly. This girl had gone through a lot in the last twenty-four hours.

"We should…" Annabeth began, but she was stopped midsentence by a voice from outside the tent.

"JAX! GWEN! Open up. I have to know what was going on last night."

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**Who is it? Any Ideas? Well, it might be obvious. Anyways, the story I've been using only has one more chapter after this updated, so it might take me longer to update unless someone wants to be amazing and send me the chapters in DocX. So, please Review. Thanks to all those who have! This is my best received story yet. Oh and the prologue story about Jax getting to camp is on its way. Please tell me if you notice any errors.**

**eMMeD:)**


	13. TWO SNAKES SAVE MY LIFE

**A/N: Hey! Sorry for the late update but it was the end of the quarter at school, so I had a bunch of work. Thanks for all the suggestions... I went with Son of the Sea 100896 who introduced me to Scribd! Thanks! Anyways hear is my next chapter...

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"Should we just stay quiet?" Ryan asked no one in particular. Kylie shook her head. Sometimes her brother was an idiot… sometimes?

"I can hear you, you know," Jax recognized the voice now. It was Daniel.

"Let him in, Harley," Jax said. Annabeth looked at Jax, but he looked so confident that she did not question him. Harley nodded and waved her hand in front of the tent flap majestically. As the salve removed itself, the tent flap opened slowly. Daniel, son of Apollo stood in front of the door looking irate.

"What are you doing in here? Having a make-out session?" Daniel asked looking around the room.

"You think Gwen and I are making out?" Harley replied dryly. Gwen made a face.

"Well I heard a few screams and cries of 'Oh, Percy!'" Daniel asked, "Who's Percy anyways?"

"No one," Jax lied quickly, but the nervous glances towards Jax compounded with the horrible lie gave it away.

"You are Percy," Daniel stated, "That's what you remembered last night. I thought it was weird that a kiss would cause you to black out like that. What else did you remember?"

"Daniel, you've gotta understand. We'd tell you if we could but…" Reyna was cut off.

"I was talking to Jax, Reyna," Daniel said brusquely. Reyna was taken aback. She and Daniel had never been close, Daniel was not close with many demigods, but he had always been cordial. "So, what else did you remember, _Jax_?"

"It's what Reyna said. We can't tell you," Jax replied.

"Did you get this order from Lupa?"

"Higher up than that," Joel said.

"Like a god?" Daniel asked, "Which one?"

"Daniel, just go," Reyna said, "this is about getting Jason back."

"So either Jupiter or Juno," Daniel thought aloud.

"Reyna, is he one of the 10?" Annabeth asked the daughter of Proserpina.

"Nah… I think Jax counts as the tenth even if he isn't… you know," Reyna said.

"Juno gave Reyna the knowledge to know who was supposed to be in here. If you do not think it is fair, take it up with Lupa when she returns," Annabeth told Daniel, "but please leave now."

"Fine, I'll take it up with Lupa when she returns," Daniel said. He then left without another word.

The tent fell into instant silence. Ryan, notorious for his hatred of silence, broke it. "Well… that was interesting." The cabin agreed mostly with nods and a few umhmms.

"Well we should probably read the next chapter," Annabeth said, "Who wants it?" Marcus raised a hand as he took a seat back on the ground next to Gwen. Annabeth passed the book down to him and looked over to Harley, who had a large grin on her face.

"What's up, Harley?" Annabeth asked while Marcus searched for his page. She shrugged, forcefully wiping the grin off her lips and mouthed "Later."

Marcus found his page and began to read.

**Chapter Nine Two Snakes Save my Life**

**I love New York. You can pop out of the Underworld in Central Park, hail a taxi, head down Fifth Avenue with a giant hellhound loping along behind you, and nobody even looks at you funny.**

**Of course, the Mist helped. People probably couldn't see Mrs. O'Leary, or maybe they thought she was a large, loud, very friendly truck.**

People laughed at that.

**I took the risk of using my mom's cell phone to call Annabeth for the second time.**

"2nd? When was the first?" Dakota asked. Marcus laughed, having read ahead slightly.

**I'd called her once from the tunnel but only reached her voice mail. I'd gotten surprisingly good reception, seeing as I was at the mythological center of the world and all, but I didn't want to see what my mom's roaming charges were going to be.**

Jax sighed. He wanted to see his mom. She needed to know he was okay. Annabeth, understanding what Jax was thinking, slipped an arm around him.

**This time, Annabeth picked up.**

**"Hey," I said. "You get my message?"**

**"Percy, where have you been? Your message said almost nothing!**

"I was going out of my mind," Annabeth said.

"And if Jax'd told you where he went?" Dakota asked.

"I would have completely lost it," Annabeth replied darkly. She was thinking about the pain Jax had gone through during the last chapter.

**We've been worried sick!"**

Ryan snorted. "I _totally _believe that," he said, "I'm sure _everyone _was worried."

"What would the world do without hot guys like Jax," Kylie asked her brother, "all of us women would be stuck with quirky guys like you." Instead of looking offended, Ryan laughed.

"Women!" he smirked as if he did not believe that Kylie was one. Kylie crossed her arms and wordlessly told Marcus to read.

**"I'll fill you in later," I said, though how I was going to do that I had no idea.**

"Sorry," murmured Jax as Annabeth glared at him.

**"Where are you?"**

**"We're on our way like you asked, almost to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel."**

"**But, Percy, what are you planning?**

"I doubt even Jax knew!" Harley laughed. Jax raised his eyebrows at her but kept quiet.

**We've left the camp virtually undefended, and there's no way the gods-"**

**"Trust me," I said. "I'll see you there."**

Annabeth harrumphed. "Hey, you can't be upset. You leave me in the dark all the time," Jax said.

"Yeah, well, that's what Athena kids do," Annabeth mumbled causing Jax to laugh.

**I hung up. My hands were trembling. I wasn't sure if it was a leftover reaction from my dip in the Styx, or anticipation of what I was about to do.** **If this didn't work, being invulnerable wasn't going to save me from getting blasted to bits.**

"Really?" Ryan looked interesting. Jax nodded. "Well then, all we need is Jason and…"  
"And what?" Gwen asked, threateningly going towards her weapon.

"And then we'll only need a kid of Pluto for us to have a kid for each of the Big Three's Roman and Greek parts," Ryan lied. Gwen glared at him.

**It was late afternoon when the taxi dropped me at the Empire State Building. Mrs. O'Leary bounded up and down Fifth Avenue, licking cabs and sniffing hot dog carts.**

**Nobody seemed to notice her, although people did swerve away and look confused when she came close.**

**I whistled for her to heel as three white vans pulled up to the curb.**

**They said **_**Delphi Strawberry Service, **_**which was the cover name for Camp Half-Blood.**

"So, you are going to hold NYC?" Joel asked. Jax and Annabeth nodded. "That's really risky," Joel said.

**I'd never seen all three vans in the same place at once, though I knew they shuttled our fresh produce into the city.**

**The first van was driven by Argus, our many-eyed security chief.**

**The other two were driven by harpies, who are basically demonic human/chicken hybrids with bad attitudes.**

"I wonder how the harpies would react to that," Annabeth asked. Jax shivered. He hoped they could not read.

**We used the harpies mostly for cleaning the camp, but they did pretty well in midtown traffic too.**

**The doors slid open. A bunch of campers climbed out, some of them looking a little green from the long drive.**

Annabeth slapped him on the back, knowing this was the only place he would feel it. "We did not!"

"Did I say you?" Jax asked, rubbing his back angrily.

**I was glad so many had come: Pollux, Silena Beauregard, the Stoll brothers, Michael Yew, Jake Mason, Katie Gardner, and Annabeth, along with most of their siblings. Chiron came out of the van last. His horse half was compacted into his magic wheelchair, so he used the handicap lift.**

**The Ares cabin wasn't here, but I tried not to get too angry about that.**

**Clarisse was a stubborn idiot.**

While the Romans nodded their agreement, Annabeth, who would have heartily agreed with this at any other time, looked down at the ground. Clarisse had been unbelievably helpful these last few months.

**End of story.**

**I did a head count: forty campers in all.**

**Not many to fight a war, but it was still the largest group of half-bloods I'd ever seen gathered in one place outside camp.**

**Everyone looked nervous, and I understood why. We were probably sending out so much demigod aura that every monster in the northeastern United States knew we were here.**

**As I looked at their faces-all these campers I'd known for so many summers-a nagging voice whispered in my mind: **_**One of them is a spy.**_

"That's right!" Reyna said, who had apparently forgotten.

**But I couldn't dwell on that. They were my friends. I needed them.**

**Then I remembered Kronos's evil smile. **_**You can't count on friends.**_

_**They will always let you down.**_

"What, is depression your flaw?" Harley asked.

"It would make sense. Jax is always depressed," Hazel replied.

"I lost my memory. I think I'm allowed to be depressed," Jax said.

"Of course you do, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said soothingly.

**Annabeth came up to me. She was dressed in black camouflage with her Celestial bronze knife strapped to her arm and her laptop bag slung over her shoulder-ready for stabbing or surfing the Internet, whichever came first.**

"Ha-ha," Kylie said dryly.

**She frowned. "What is it?"**

**"What's what?" I asked.**

**"You're looking at me funny."**

"Now I get to know why," Annabeth said.

"I bet you can guess already," Jax replied. Annabeth smirked.

"Maybe…"

**I realized I was thinking about my strange vision of Annabeth pulling me out of the Styx River. "It's, uh, nothing."**

"Nothing, yeah, Jax, just keep thinking that," Dakota smirked.

"Is that what you were thinking about when you looked at me strangely," Hazel asked her boyfriend.

"I've never taken a dip in the River Styx," Dakota said.

"I mean, did you ever dream about me?" Hazel asked.

"No, never," Dakota lied.

"Yeah, he never moaned out your name in his sleep or anything," Marcus said. Dakota shot his friend a glare. Marcus just smiled and laughed.

**I turned to the rest of the group. "Thanks for coming, everybody. Chiron, after you."**

**My old mentor shook his head. "I came to wish you luck, my boy.** **But I make it a point never to visit Olympus unless I am summoned."**

**"But you're our leader."**

**He smiled. "I am your trainer, your teacher. That is not the same as being your leader.**

"Yeah, Percy, you are our leader," Annabeth smiled, Jax smiled back and shook his head.

"Yeah, and I suck at it," he responded.

"No, you really don't," she said. Jax did not understand why Annabeth's face fell when she said this.

Annabeth was thinking about how, because he was leader, she had lost him for months.

**I will go gather what allies I can. It may not be too late to convince my brother centaurs to help. Meanwhile, **_**you **_**called the campers here, Percy. **_**You **_**are the leader."**

**I wanted to protest, but everybody was looking at me expectantly, even Annabeth.**

"Of course, I knew you could do it," said Annabeth … it was true. She had known this since she had heard about how he disarmed Luke when he did not even know he was a Son of Poseidon.

**I took a deep breath. "Okay, like I told Annabeth on the phone, something bad is going to happen by tonight. Some kind of trap.** **We've got to get an audience with Zeus and convince him to defend the city. Remember, we can't take no for an answer."**

"Ooh, another flaw, overconviction," Harley said.

"I'm not sure that's a flaw," Reyna said, she was, after all, known for stubbornness.

"It is when there is no hope. You have to know when to give up," Harley said simply.

"Give…up…?" Ryan asked as if he had never heard those words.

**I asked Argus to watch Mrs. O'Leary, which neither of them looked happy about.**

**Chiron shook my hand. "You'll do well, Percy. Just remember your strengths and beware your weaknesses."**

**It sounded eerily close to what Achilles had told me. Then I remembered Chiron had **_**taught **_**Achilles. That didn't exactly reassure me, but I nodded and tried to give him a confident smile.**

"Chiron knew exactly what you were thinking, Percy," Annabeth said, "he told me to look after you."

"Should I be upset about that?" Jax asked.

**"Let's go," I told the campers.**

**A security guard was sitting behind the desk in the lobby, reading a big black book with a flower on the cover. He glanced up when we all filed in with our weapons and armor clanking. "School group? We're about to close up."**

**"No," I said. "Six-hundredth floor."**

**He checked us out. His eyes were pale blue and his head was completely bald.**

"I believe that's Ganymede," Annabeth said, though she was not confident.

"The cupbearer?" Harley asked.

"Yes, I believe so," Annabeth said.

"That isn't exactly important," Jax said.

"Fine," Annabeth huffed, crossing her arms and turning away from Jax, "Marcus, please keep reading."

**I couldn't tell if he was human or not, but he seemed to notice our weapons, so I guess he wasn't fooled by the Mist.**

**"There is no six-hundredth floor, kid." He said it like it was a required line he didn't believe. "Move along."**

**I leaned across the desk. "Forty demigods attract an awful lot of monsters. You really want us hanging out in your lobby?"**

**He thought about that. Then he hit a buzzer and the security gate swung open. "Make it quick."**

**"You don't want us going through the metal detectors," I added.**

**"Um, no," he agreed. "Elevator on the right. I guess you know the way."**

"Wow, you're scary good," Dakota said to Jax.

"Thanks, I guess," Jax said uncertainly.

**I tossed him a golden drachma and we marched ill rough.**

**We decided it would take two trips to get everybody up in the elevator. I went with the first group. Different elevator music was playing since my last visit-that old disco song "Stayin' Alive."**

"Ooh, just the song you want to hear now," Kylie remarked.

"Yeah, it just made my day that much better," Jax replied, remembering the mental image it gave and knowing that that was just the whacked out thing the book would bring up.

**A terrifying image flashed through my mind of Apollo in bell-bottom pants and a slinky silk shirt.**

Everyone looked disgusted or was laughing at how weird Jax was.

**I was glad when the elevator doors finally dinged open. In front of us, a path of floating stones led through the clouds up to Mount Olympus, hovering six thousand feet over Manhattan.**

**I'd seen Olympus several times, but it still took my breath away. The mansions glittered gold and white against the sides of the mountain.**

"And now it looks even better," Jax whispered to Annabeth, who blushed.

**Gardens bloomed on a hundred terraces. Scented smoke rose from braziers that lined the winding streets. And right at the top of the snow-capped crest rose the main palace of the gods. It looked as majestic as ever, but something seemed wrong.**

**Then I realized the mountain was silent-no music, no voices, no laughter.**

**Annabeth studied me. "You look . . . different," she decided. "Where exactly did you go?"**

"How exactly did I look 'different?'" Jax asked.

"Stronger, more confident," Annabeth said, "you still do." She didn't voice the fact that she almost missed the vulnerable Percy she used to know, but Jax noticed a little disappointment in her voice. He would ask her later.

**The elevator doors opened again, and the second group of half-bloods joined us.**

**"Tell you later," I said. "Come on."**

**We made our way across the sky bridge into the streets of Olympus.**

**The shops were closed. The parks were empty. A couple of Muses sat on a bench strumming flaming lyres, but their hearts didn't seem to be in it.**

**A lone Cyclops swept the street with an uprooted oak tree.**

**A minor godling spotted us from a balcony and ducked inside, closing his shutters.**

"Wow, that sounds depressing," Hazel said. This was her mom's home, and it sounded so desolate.

"It usually looks way better," Jax assured her.

**We passed under a big marble archway with statues of Zeus and Hera on either side.**

**Annabeth made a face at the queen of the gods.**

Annabeth's face mirrored that one, if it was not more intense.

**"Hate her," she muttered.**

"Still do," Annabeth said vehemently.

**"Has she been cursing you or something?" I asked. Last year Annabeth had gotten on Hera's bad side, but Annabeth hadn't really talked about it since.**

**"Just little stuff so far," she said. "Her sacred animal is the cow, right?"**

**"Right."**

**"So she sends cows after me."**

"Cows, not really that threatening," Harley told Annabeth.

"You'll see," Annabeth said, making a face.

**I tried not to smile. "Cows? In San Francisco?"**

**"Oh, yeah. Usually I don't see them, but the cows leave me little presents all over the place-in our backyard, on the sidewalk, in the school hallways. I have to be careful where I step."**

"Eww," Reyna and Hazel, but Ryan and Kylie were laughing.

**"Look!" Pollux cried, pointing toward the horizon. "What is **_**that?**_**"**

**We all froze. Blue lights were streaking across the evening sky toward Olympus like tiny comets.**

**They seemed to be coming from all over the city, heading straight toward the mountain. As they got close, they fizzled out. We watched them for several minutes and they didn't seem to do any damage, but still it was strange.**

**"Like infrared scopes," Michael Yew muttered. "We're being targeted."**

Annabeth sighed and Jax put an arm around her.

**"Let's get to the palace," I said.**

**No one was guarding the hall of the gods. The gold-and-silver doors stood wide open. Our footsteps echoed as we walked into the throne room.**

**Of course, "room" doesn't really cover it. The place was the size of Madison Square Garden. High above, the blue ceiling glittered with constellations. Twelve giant empty thrones stood in a U around a hearth.**

**In one corner, a house-size globe of water hovered in the air, and inside swam my old friend the Ophiotaurus, half-cow, half-serpent.**

"How is Bessie?" Jax asked.

"He still hates being called that," Annabeth smirked back.

"You named the Ophiotaurus Bessie?" Harley asked.

"Yes," Jax said.

"Annabeth, how did you end up with him?" Harley asked.

"I only go out with him because he's hot," Annabeth teased.

"Hey!"

"That and his dad is really powerful," Annabeth continued.

"Hey!" Jax repeated.

"Percy, you know I am just kidding," she smirked.

_**"Moooo!" **_**he said happily, turning in a circle.**

**Despite all the serious stuff going on, I had to smile. Two years ago we'd spent a lot of time trying to save the Ophiotaurus from the Titans, and I'd gotten kind of fond of him.**

**He seemed to like me too, even though I'd originally thought he was a girl and named him Bessie.**

"And you still call him Bessie," Joel said.

"Yeah, just not to his face," Jax said.

**"Hey, man," I said. "They treating you okay?"**

_**"Mooo," **_**Bessie answered.**

**We walked toward the thrones, and a woman's voice said, "Hello again, Percy Jackson. You and your friends are welcome."**

**Hestia stood by the hearth, poking the flames with a stick. She wore the same kind of simple brown dress as she had before, but she was a grown woman now.**

**I bowed. "Lady Hestia."**

**My friends followed my example.**

"No, we did not 'follow your example' we were bowing before her out of respect," Annabeth said.

"And the difference being?" Jax asked. Annabeth shrugged.

**Hestia regarded me with her red glowing eyes. "I see you went through with your plan. You bear the curse of Achilles."**

"At that point I wanted to strangle you, but I knew you were invincible," Annabeth said.

**The other campers started muttering among themselves: **_**What did she say? What about Achilles?**_

**"You must be careful," Hestia warned me. "You gained much on your journey. But you are still blind to the most important truth. Perhaps a glimpse is in order."**

"That's why you went rigid," Annabeth said.

**Annabeth nudged me. "Um . . . what is she talking about?"**

**I stared into Hestia's eyes, and an image rushed into my mind:**

Annabeth squeezed Jax's hand. She was about to know what he saw. Jax shook his head. Annabeth was not going to like this one bit.

**I saw a dark alley between red brick warehouses. A sign above one of the doors read RICHMOND IRONWORKS.**

Annabeth eyes widened as she tried to remember why she knew this place.

**Two half-bloods crouched in the shadows-a boy about fourteen and a girl about twelve. I realized with a start that the boy was Luke. The girl was Thalia, daughter of Zeus.**

Annabeth straightened. She knew now.

**I was seeing a scene from back in the days when they were on the run, before Grover found them.**

**Luke carried a bronze knife. Thalia had her spear and shield of terror, Aegis. Luke and Thalia both looked hungry and lean, with wild animal eyes, like they were used to being attacked.**

Annabeth sighed, "they were."

**"Are you sure?" Thalia asked.**

**Luke nodded. "Something down here. I sense it."**

A tear trickled down Annabeth's cheek despite her intentions. The Romans looked at her, not knowing what was happening, and Jax attempted to put an arm around Annabeth, but Annabeth pulled away. This had nothing to do with him.

In the awkwardness, Marcus decided to simply read now.

**A rumble echoed from the alley, like someone had banged on a sheet of metal. The half-bloods crept forward.**

**Old crates were stacked on a loading dock. Thalia and Luke approached with their weapons ready. A curtain of corrugated tin quivered as if something were behind it.**

**Thalia glanced at Luke. He counted silently: **_**One, two, three! **_**He ripped away the tin, and a little girl flew at him with a hammer.**

"What the-" Ryan began, but cut off when both Jax and Annabeth glared at him. "I was going to say heck."

**"Whoa!" Luke said.**

**The girl had tangled blond hair and was wearing flannel pajamas.**

**She couldn't have been more than seven, but she would've brained Luke if he hadn't been so fast.**

The hard part of Annabeth wished she had. "That's you isn't it?" Reyna asked. Annabeth nodded, but stayed silent.

**He grabbed her wrist, and the hammer skittered across the cement.**

**The little girl fought and kicked. "No more monsters! Go away!"**

**"It's okay!" Luke struggled to hold her. "Thalia, put your shield up.** **You're scaring her."**

"She was…" Annabeth muttered. Aegis was powerful for a fake.

**Thalia tapped Aegis, and it shrank into a silver bracelet. "Hey, it's all right," she said. "We're not going to hurt you. I'm Thalia. This is Luke."**

**"Monsters!"**

**"No," Luke promised. "But we know all about monsters. We fight them too."**

**Slowly, the girl stopped kicking. She studied Luke and Thalia with large intelligent gray eyes.**

"I- I can't believe you were on your own this young," Hazel said. She had not started camp until she was ten, and the idea of being alone at seven was terrifying.

**"You're like me?" she said suspiciously.**

**"Yeah," Luke said. "We're . . . well, it's hard to explain, but we're monster fighters.**

"I prefer that over 'demigods,'" Harley said.

**Where's your family?"**

**"My family hates me," the girl said. "They don't want me. I ran away."**

Jax looked over at Annabeth and shook his head. Her dad was so nice, so was her stepmom. Why couldn't she see it?

**Thalia and Luke locked eyes. I knew they both related to what she was saying.**

"Their lives were far worse," Annabeth said.

**"What's your name, kiddo?" Thalia asked.**

**"Annabeth."**

**Luke smiled. "Nice name. I tell you what, Annabeth-you're pretty fierce. We could use a fighter like you."**

Annabeth felt the worse part coming and held in a sob hard, so hard it hurt. Jax tried to put an arm around her again, and this time she let him.

**Annabeth's eyes widened. "You could?"**

**"Oh, yeah." Luke turned his knife and offered her the handle.**

The sob came, and Jax held her tighter.

**"How'd you like a real monster-slaying weapon? This is Celestial bronze. Works a lot better than a hammer."**

A small, wistful smile crossed Annabeth's face. Leo would never agree with that.

**Maybe under most circumstances, offering a seven-year-old kid a knife would not be a good idea, but when you're a half-blood, regular rules kind of go out the window.**

"I had my first weapon at age three," Reyna said.

**Annabeth gripped the hilt.**

**"Knives are only for the bravest and quickest fighters," Luke explained. "They don't have the reach or power of a sword, but they're easy to conceal and they can find weak spots in your enemy's armor.**

_Achilles spots, _Jax inserted mentally.

**It takes a clever warrior to use a knife. I have a feeling you're pretty clever."**

**Annabeth stared at him with adoration. "I am!"**

Even Ryan knew better than to joke about that.

**Thalia grinned. "We'd better get going, Annabeth. We have a safe house on the James River. We'll get you some clothes and food."**

Annabeth maneuvered an arm around Jax's so that she could wipe at her eyes,

**"You're . . . you're not going to take me back to my family?" she said. "Promise?"**

**Luke put his hand on her shoulder. "You're part of **_**our **_**family now.**

Jax clutched her especially close. "Thalia is still there," Jax reminded her.

**And I promise I won't let anything hurt you. I'm **_**not **_**going to fail you like our families did us. Deal?"**

**"Deal!" Annabeth said happily.**

**"Now, come on," Thalia said. "We can't stay put for long!"**

**The scene shifted. The three demigods were running through the woods. It must've been several days later, maybe even weeks. All of them looked beat up, like they'd seen some battles.**

"When I joined the scent became stronger. They were in even more danger," Annabeth said.

**Annabeth was wearing new clothes-jeans and an oversize army jacket.**

**"Just a little farther!" Luke promised. Annabeth stumbled, and he took her hand. Thalia brought up the rear, brandishing her shield like she was driving back whatever pursued them.**

"She was," Annabeth affirmed.

**She was limping on her left leg.**

**They scrambled to a ridge and looked down the other side at a white Colonial house-May Castellan's place.**

**"All right," Luke said, breathing hard. "I'll just sneak in and grab some food and medicine. Wait here."**

"You- you saw this?" Annabeth asked, looking into Jax's green eyes. Jax nodded.

**"Luke, are you sure?" Thalia asked. "You swore you'd never come back here. If she catches you-"**

**"We don't have a choice!" he growled. "They burned our nearest safe house. And you've got to treat that leg wound."**

"Sometimes, Percy, you remind me of this Luke. The one who put others first," Annabeth said. Jax hid a grimace.

**"This is your house?" Annabeth said with amazement.**

**"It **_**was **_**my house," Luke muttered. "Believe me, if it wasn't an emergency-"**

**"Is your mom really horrible?" Annabeth asked. "Can we see her?"**

"Annabeth," Harley groaned. She could never imagine the bright daughter of Athena being so tactless.

"I was seven!" Annabeth said.

**"No!" Luke snapped.**

**Annabeth shrank away from him as though his anger surprised her.**

"It did. He was always so nice to me," Annabeth said.

**"I . . . I'm sorry," he said. "Just wait here. I promise everything will be okay. Nothing's going to hurt you. I'll be back-"**

**A brilliant golden flash illuminated the woods.**

**The demigods winced, and a man's voice boomed: "You should not have come home."**

**The vision shut off.**

"So you didn't see anything really?" Annabeth asked.

"Not now," Jax replied, "but later."

"Oh…"

**My knees buckled, but Annabeth grabbed me. "Percy! What happened?"**

"That was really scary," Annabeth said, straightening up.

**"Did . . . did you see that?" I asked.**

**"See what?"**

**I glanced at Hestia, but the goddess's face was expressionless. I remembered something she'd told me in the woods: **_**If you are to understand your enemy Luke, you must understand his family. **_**But why had she shown me those scenes?**

**"How long was I out?" I muttered.**

"I thought something was wrong with you," Annabeth chuckled wearily.

**Annabeth knit her eyebrows. "Percy, you weren't out at all. You just looked at Hestia for like one second and collapsed."**

**I could feel everyone's eyes on me. I couldn't afford to look weak.**

**Whatever those visions meant, I had to stay focused on our mission.**

**"Um, Lady Hestia," I said, "we've come on urgent business. We need to see-"**

**"We know what you need," a man's voice said. I shuddered, because it was the same voice I'd heard in the vision.**

**A god shimmered into existence next to Hestia. He looked about twenty-five, with curly salt-and-pepper hair and elfish features.**

"Our dad?" Kylie asked.

"He actually visited May," Ryan said. He was not really happy about that. Mercury had never visited his mom.

**He wore a military pilot's flight suit, with tiny bird's wings fluttering on his helmet and his black leather boots. In the crook of his arm was a long staff entwined with two living serpents.**

"Jack and Jackie," Ryan smiled. Those serpents were the best.

"Huh?" Jax said.

"I guess even his snakes have Roman counterparts," Annabeth shrugged.

**"I will leave you now," Hestia said. She bowed to the aviator and disappeared into smoke. I understood why she was so anxious to go. Hermes, the God of Messengers, did not look happy.**

**"Hello, Percy." His brow furrowed as though he was annoyed with me, and I wondered if he somehow knew about the vision I'd just had.**

"Probably," answered Annabeth, "He is the messenger god."

**I wanted to ask why he'd been in May Castellan's house that night, and what had happened after he caught Luke. I remembered the first time I'd met Luke at Camp Half-Blood. I'd asked him if he'd ever met his father, and he'd looked at me bitterly and said, **_**Once.**_

Annabeth groaned. Luke had been moody for weeks after that meeting.

**But I could tell from Hermes's expression that this was not the time to ask.**

**I bowed awkwardly. "Lord Hermes."**

_**Oh, sure, **_**one of the snakes said in my mind. **_**Don't say hi to **_**us.**

_**We're just reptiles.**_

_**George, **_**the other snake scolded. **_**Be polite.**_

**"Hello, George," I said. "Hey, Martha."**

_**Did you bring us a rat? **_**George asked.**

_**George, stop it, **_**Martha said. **_**He's busy!**_

_**Too busy for rats? **_**George said. **_**That's just sad.**_

**I decided it was better not to get into it with George. "Um, Hermes,"**

**I said. "We need to talk to Zeus. It's important."**

**Hermes's eyes were steely cold. "I am his messenger. May I take a message?"**

"Wow, never seen Dad this cold," Kylie said. Truth be told, she had only met her dad a grand total of three times, but still…

**Behind me, the other demigods shifted restlessly. This wasn't going as planned. Maybe if I tried to speak with Hermes in private . . .**

**"You guys," I said. "Why don't you do a sweep of the city? Check the defenses. See who's left in Olympus. Meet Annabeth and me back here in thirty minutes."**

**Silena frowned. "But-"**

**"That's a good idea," Annabeth said. "Connor and Travis, you two lead."**

**The Stolls seemed to like that-getting handed an important responsibility right in front of their dad.**

Kylie smiled. She knew Ryan would be just as swelled with pride.

**They usually never led anything except toilet paper raids.**

**"We're on it!" Travis said. They herded the others out of the throne room, leaving Annabeth and me with Hermes.**

**"My lord," Annabeth said. "Kronos is going to attack New York. You must suspect that. My **_**mother **_**must have foreseen it."**

**"Your mother," Hermes grumbled. He scratched his back with his caduceus, and George and Martha muttered **_**Ow, ow, ow**_**. "Don't get me started on your mother, young lady. She's the reason I'm here at all. Zeus didn't want any of us to leave the front line. But your mother kept pestering him nonstop, 'It's a trap, it's a diversion, blah, blah, blah.'**

"And my mom was right!" Annabeth said defensively. No one remarked, scared of Annabeth's wrath.

**She wanted to come back herself, but Zeus was not going to let his number one strategist leave his side while we're battling Typhon.** **And so naturally he sent **_**me **_**to talk to you."**

**"But it **_**is **_**a trap!" Annabeth insisted. "Is Zeus blind?"**

**Thunder rolled through the sky.**

"Not a smart thing to say aloud," Harley remarked, "but I would too."

**"I'd watch the comments, girl," Hermes warned. "Zeus is not blind **_**or **_**deaf. He has not left Olympus completely undefended."**

**"But there are these blue lights-"**

**"Yes, yes. I saw them. Some mischief by that insufferable goddess of magic, Hecate, I'd wager, but you may have noticed they aren't doing any damage.**

"My mom is not insufferable!" Harley said.

**Olympus has strong magical wards. Besides, Aeolus, the King of the Winds, has sent his most powerful minions to guard the citadel. No one save the gods can approach Olympus from the air. They would be knocked out of the sky."**

**I raised my hand. "Um . . . what about that materializing/teleporting thing you guys do?"**

**"That's a form of air travel too, Jackson.**

"He doesn't usually call me by my last name," Jax said.

**Very fast, but the wind gods are faster. No, if Kronos wants Olympus, he'll have to march through the entire city with his army and take the elevators! Can you see him doing this?"**

**Hermes made it sound pretty ridiculous-hordes of monsters going up in the elevator twenty at a time, listening to "Stayin' Alive."**

"I would pay money to see that," Ryan said, "Joel, see if your dad can make a reality show about that." Joel laughed. "I wasn't kidding."

**Still, I didn't like it.**

**"Maybe just a few of you could come back," I suggested.**

**Hermes shook his head impatiently. "Percy Jackson, you don't understand. Typhon is our greatest enemy."**

**"I thought that was Kronos."**

**The god's eyes glowed. "No, Percy. In the old days, Olympus was almost overthrown by Typhon. He is husband of Echidna-"**

"Just imagine them… you know… doing it," Ryan said. Gagging and retching lit throughout the tent.

"Did not need that mental image," Harley shuddered.

**"Met her at the Arch," I muttered. "Not nice."**

**"-and the father of all monsters. We can never forget how close he came to destroying us all; how he humiliated us!** **We were more powerful back in the old days. Now we can expect no help from Poseidon because he's fighting his own war. Hades sits in his realm and does nothing, and Demeter and Persephone follow his lead.**

Both Hazel and Reyna looked ready to yell at the book, but Dakota held up a hand. "It's true and you both know it."

**It will take all our remaining power to oppose the storm giant. We can't divide our forces, nor wait until he gets to New York. We have to battle him now. And we're making progress."**

"Yeah, we're making progress towards NYC," Harley said madly.

**"Progress?" I said. "He nearly destroyed St. Louis."**

**"Yes," Hermes admitted. "But he destroyed only **_**half **_**of Kentucky.**

"Wow… half," Dakota laughed ruefully.

**He's slowing down. Losing power."**

**I didn't want to argue, but it sounded like Hermes was trying to convince himself.**

**In the corner, the Ophiotaurus mooed sadly.**

**"Please, Hermes," Annabeth said. "You said my mother wanted to come. Did she give you any messages for us?"**

**"Messages," he muttered. "'It'll be a great job,' they told me. 'Not much work. Lots of worshippers.' Hmph. Nobody cares what **_**I **_**have to say. It's always about other people's **_**messages.**_**"**

_**Rodents, **_**George mused. **_**I'm in it for the rodents.**_

_**Shhh, **_**Martha scolded. We **_**care what Hermes has to say. Don't we, George?**_

_**Oh, absolutely. Can we go back to the battle now? I want to do laser mode again. That's fun.**_

"I think I like George the best," Gwen laughed. She was the only one in a light hearted mood at the moment.

**"Quiet, both of you," Hermes grumbled.**

**The god looked at Annabeth, who was doing her big-pleading-gray eyes thing.**

**"Bah," Hermes said. "Your mother said to warn you that you are on your own. You must hold Manhattan without the help of the gods. As if I didn't know that. Why they pay her to be the **_**wisdom**_**goddess, I'm not sure."**

"Hmph," Annabeth said as everyone else laughed.

**"Anything else?" Annabeth asked.**

**"She said you should try plan twenty-three. She said you would know what that meant."**

**Annabeth's face paled. Obviously she knew what it meant, and she didn't like it. "Go on."**

**"Last thing." Hermes looked at me. "She said to tell Percy: 'Remember the rivers.' And, um, something about staying away from her daughter."**

"She still doesn't trust you," Annabeth said.

"You'd think saving all the gods' butts would count for something," Jax said taciturnly.

**I'm not sure whose face was redder: Annabeth's or mine.**

**"Thank you, Hermes," Annabeth said. "And I . . . I wanted to say . . . I'm sorry about Luke."**

"Tacctless," sang Harley.

"Shut up," mumbled Annabeth.

**The god's expression hardened like he'd turned to marble. "You should've left that subject alone."**

**Annabeth stepped back nervously. "Sorry?"**

**"SORRY doesn't cut it!"**

"Who makes gods mad?" Gwen asked Annabeth, but she was smiling.

"I think Gwen is warming up to you," Jax whispered, and Annabeth smiled slightly.

**George and Martha curled around the caduceus, which shimmered and changed into something that looked suspiciously like a high voltage cattle prod.**

**"You should've saved him when you had the chance," Hermes growled at Annabeth. "You're the only one who could have."**

**I tried to step between them. "What are you talking about? Annabeth didn't-"**

**"Don't defend her, Jackson!" Hermes turned the cattle prod toward me. "She knows exactly what I'm talking about."**

"What?" Harley spluttered. She turned to Annabeth, "What happened?"

"It'll be explained," Annabeth said after taking a deep breath.

**"Maybe you should blame yourself!"**

"Ooh, do you guys really want to piss off my dad?" Kylie asked.

"Remember laser mode?" Ryan asked.

"He likes Percy," Annabeth said.

"Yeah… well doesn't really look like it right now…" Hazel said.

**I should've kept my mouth shut, but all I could think about was turning his attention away from Annabeth.**

Annabeth smiled at Jax. "Your worth making a few gods mad at me," Jax assured.

The moment was ruined by Kylie, who said, "Isn't that special?"

**This whole time, he hadn't been angry with me. He'd been angry with **_**her.**_

**"Maybe if you hadn't abandoned Luke and his mom!"**

"Abandoned, Jax, you do get that all of our godly parents abandoned our earthy ones?" Dakota said.

"Yeah, pretty much," Jax said. He did not like thinking about that.

**Hermes raised his cattle prod. He began to grow until he was ten feet tall.**

**I thought, Well, that's it.**

**But as he prepared to strike, George and Martha leaned in close and whispered something in his ear.**

**Hermes clenched his teeth. He lowered the cattle prod, and it turned back to a staff.**

**"Percy Jackson," he said, "because you have taken on the curse of Achilles, I must spare you. You are in the hands of the Fates now.**

**But you will **_**never **_**speak to me like that again. You have no idea how much I have sacrificed, how much-"**

Jax sighed, " I really had no clue."

**His voice broke, and he shrank back to human size. "My son, my greatest pride . . . my poor May . . ."**

"I wonder if he thought about making May his eternal mate. I mean, he is one of the few gods without one," Hazel said. Ryan and Kylie made a face.

**He sounded so devastated I didn't know what to say. One minute he**

**was ready to vaporize us. Now he looked like he needed a hug.**

**"Look, Lord Hermes," I said. "I'm sorry, but I need to know. What happened to May? She said something about Luke's fate, and her eyes-"**

"Great timing," Harley murmured.

**Hermes glared at me, and my voice faltered. The look on his face wasn't really anger, though. It was pain. Deep, incredible pain.**

**"I will leave you now," he said tightly. "I have a war to fight."**

**He began to shine. I turned away and made sure Annabeth did the same, because she was still frozen in shock.**

"Ever protective," Annabeth said, smiling at Jax.

_**Good luck, Percy, **_**Martha the snake whispered.**

**Hermes glowed with the light of a supernova. Then he was gone.**

**Annabeth sat at the foot of her mother's throne and cried. I wanted to comfort her, but I wasn't sure how.**

**"Annabeth," I said, "it's not your fault. I've never seen Hermes act that way. I guess . . . I don't know ... he probably feels guilty about Luke. He's looking for somebody to blame. I don't know why he lashed out at you. You didn't do anything to deserve that."**

_But I did, _Annabeth thought glumly.

**Annabeth wiped her eyes. She stared at the hearth like it was her own funeral pyre.**

**I shifted uneasily. "Um, you didn't, right?"**

**She didn't answer. Her Celestial bronze knife was strapped to her arm-the same knife I'd seen in Hestia's vision. All these years, I hadn't realized it was a gift from Luke. I'd asked her many times why she preferred to fight with a knife instead of a sword, and she'd never answered me. Now I knew.**

"Now you know how much his opinion meant to me," Annabeth said.

"Yes, Luke's opinion was big with me too when I first met him," Jax said.

**"Percy," she said. "What did you mean about Luke's mother? Did** **you meet her?"**

**I nodded reluctantly. "Nico and I visited her. She was a little . . . different."**

**I described May Castellan, and the weird moment when her eyes had started to glow and she talked about her son's fate.**

**Annabeth frowned. "That doesn't make sense. But why were you** **visiting-" Her eyes widened. "Hermes said you bear the curse of Achilles. Hestia said the same thing.** **Did you . . . did you bathe in the River Styx?"**

**"Don't change the subject."**

**"Percy! Did you or not?"**

**"Um . . . maybe a little."**

"How do you jump into the Styx just a little?" Ryan asked as he laughed.

**I told her the story about Hades and Nico, and how I'd defeated an army of the dead. I left out the vision of her pulling me out of the river.**

"Yes, you did," Annabeth said_._

"I wasn't sure how you'd react," Jax alibied.

"It still would have been nice to know," she said.

**I still didn't quite understand that part, and just thinking about it made me embarrassed.**

"Jax, I'll spell it out You" Ryan pointed to Jax, "Love" he put a hand over his heart, "Her!" He pointed to Annabeth.

"Thanks for clearing that up, Ryan. Would have never known that without your himt," Jax said, shaking his head.

**She shook her head in disbelief. "Do you have **_**any idea **_**how dangerous that was?"**

**"I had no choice," I said. "It's the only way I can stand up to Luke."**

**"You mean **_**. . . di immortales,**_

"Language, Annabeth," Jax joked, pointing a scolding finger at her.

"Yeah, I'll be careful about that," Annabeth lied.

**of course! That's why Luke didn't die.** **He went to the Styx and . . . Oh no, Luke. What were you thinking?"**

"Yeah, I'm sure Jax is just touched with your concern," Dakota said. He knew that if Hazel did that, he would probably yell at her, and he was not prone to yelling.

**"So now you're worried about Luke again," I grumbled.**

**She stared at me like I'd just dropped from space. "What?"**

**"Forget it," I muttered.**

**I wondered what Hermes had meant about Annabeth not saving Luke when she'd had the chance. Clearly, she wasn't telling me something.**

"You didn't tell me everything either," Annabeth pointed out.

**But at the moment I wasn't in the mood to ask. The last thing I wanted to hear about was more of her history with Luke.**

"Someone is jealous," Kylie said.

"Yep," Jax said, not even bothering to deny it.

**"The point is he didn't die in the Styx," I said. "Neither did I. Now I have to face him. We have to defend Olympus."**

**Annabeth was still studying my face, like she was trying to see differences since my swim in the Styx.**

"Did you find any?" Jax asked.

"Only what I mentioned earlier," Annabeth replied.

**"I guess you're right. My mom mentioned-"**

**"Plan twenty-three."**

**She rummaged in her pack and pulled out Daedalus's laptop. The blue Delta symbol glowed on the top when she booted it up. She opened a few files and started to read.**

**"Here it is," she said. "Gods, we have a lot of work to do."**

**"One of Daedalus's inventions?"**

**"A lot of inventions . . . dangerous ones. If my mother wants me to use this plan, she must think things are very bad." She looked at me. "What about her message to you: 'Remember the rivers'? What does that mean?"**

**I shook my head. As usual, I had no clue what the gods were telling me.**

"Yeah, well I think we are all confused," Marcus said.

**Which rivers was I supposed to remember? The Styx? The Mississippi?**

**Just then the Stoll brothers ran in to the throne room.**

**"You need to see this," Connor said. **_**"Now."**_

**The blue lights in the sky had stopped, so at first I didn't understand what the problem was.**

**The other campers had gathered in a small park at the edge of the mountain. They were clustered at the guardrail, looking down at Manhattan. The railing was lined with those tourist binoculars, where you could deposit one golden drachma and see the city.**

**Campers were using every single one.**

**I looked down at the city. I could see almost everything from here, the East River and the Hudson River carving the shape of Manhattan, the grid of streets, the lights of skyscrapers, the dark stretch of Central Park in the north.**

**Everything looked normal, but something was wrong. I felt it in my bones before I realized what it was.**

**"I don't . . . hear anything," Annabeth said.**

"And there is something wrong with that?" Reyna asked.

"Have you ever been to New York?" Jax asked Reyna.

"Gods, no," Reyna said.

"Just read on, Marcus," Jax said.

**That was the problem.**

**Even from this height, I should've heard the noise of the city millions of people bustling around, thousands of cars and machines, the hum of a huge metropolis. You don't think about it when you live in New York, but it's always there. Even in the dead of night, New York is never silent.**

"Oh… Morpheus," Reyna said.

"Way to ruin it, Reyna," Ryan complained.

"Sorry that you are slow," Reyna replied.

**But it was now.**

**I felt like my best friend had suddenly dropped dead.**

**"What did they do?" My voice sounded tight and angry. "What did they do to my city?"**

"You city?" Marcus asked, looking over at Jax.

"I grew up there," Jax said.

**I pushed Michael Yew away from the binoculars and took a look.**

**In the streets below, traffic had stopped. Pedestrians were lying on the sidewalks, or curled up in doorways.**

**There was no sign of violence, no wrecks, nothing like that. It was as if all the people in New York had simply decided to stop whatever they were doing and pass out.**

"Like everyone just took a large swig of Nyquil all at the same time," Harley said.

**"Are they dead?" Silena asked in astonishment.**

**Ice coated my stomach. A line from the prophecy rang in my ears:**

_**And see the world in endless sleep. **_**I remembered Grover's story about meeting the god Morpheus in Central Park. **_**You're lucky I'm saving my energy for the main event.**_

**"Not dead," I said. "Morpheus has put the entire island of Manhattan to sleep. The invasion has started."**

"And that was the cliffhanger ending to that wonderful chapter," Marcus said, setting the book down on the ground, "We're having lunch now right?"

Annabeth nodded, "Let's take two hours." Everyone looked at her strangely. "I have a feeling there won't be another good time to break." They all nodded and agreed. The campers walked out of the room one by one, but Annabeth kept the Sea Children and Harley behind. "What did you think of?" She asked Harley.

* * *

**If you have not already guessed, next chapter will be another filler, but I think it'll make a bunch of people happy. So anyways, please review... I think it would be amazing if in the next two chapters, I reach 100 reviews :D... But I will still update even if I do not. Thanks to the people who have already reviewed!**

**eMMeD :)**


	14. Annabeth's Smooth Move

**A/N: Hey, so this is what you all have been wanting, and hopefully ya'll'll still like it. Anyways, thanks for all your awesome reviews! I'm up to 80 reviews now! 20 from my goal! **

**Disclaimer: I really do not own this, but I will gladly claim ownership to Harley and Joel! Everything else I give completely to Rick Riordan.**

* * *

"Well," a grin crossed Harley's face, "I realized where I can find more ingredients for the potion."  
"Potion?" Jax piped up. Harley rolled her eyes.

"The potion I made that brought Annabeth here, obviously!" Harley said.

"Never mind that now. Harley, where did you think of?" Annabeth asked, knowing that Jax was getting ready to respond and that that would send the two of them (followed by a protective Gwen) into a full-fledged argument.

Harley turned from Jax to Annabeth. "All of the ingredients I need I can find in the Apollo tent! They are used in a lot of common treatments around the tent," Harley said.

"And you did not think of this before now?" Jax interjected, both Annabeth and Harley turned to him. Harley was glaring icily at him, and Annabeth looked exasperated.

"When I say essence of Graeae Breath, does your mind head straight to medicinal needs?" Harley asked.

"Truthfully, no," Jax answered, unfazed.

"Harley, do you think the Apollo kids will let us take some?" Annabeth asked. All three of the others burst out laughing.

"We've just upset Daniel," Harley said.

"The Apollo kids are really close," Jax added, "I doubt they'd let us borrow Tylenol at the moment."

"We could steal it," Gwen said. Jax turned to his little sister with wide-eyes.

"I need to talk to Ryan and Kylie," Jax said.

"Exactly," Harley jumped in, "Kylie can walk through walls. She can get it for us!"

"That would work," Annabeth said thoughtfully. So, it was settled. They would talk to Kylie after lunch.

XXXXX

"Are you sure about this?" Kylie asked, looking at the walls of the Apollo cabin.

"The supply cabinet is right behind this wall… you can see that, right?" Harley asked.

"Well, through cement it's kinda hard to tell. It looks all grainy," she said, focusing her eyes on the wall.

"Just trust us," Jax told her.

"Okay," Kylie took a deep breath and walked through the wall. On the other side, Kylie found herself in what reminded her of a refrigerator used in restaurants, but, instead of the walls being covered with food, they were covered with pill bottles of all different sizes and types. Kylie pulled out the list Harley had written for her. _Woah! How does she read this? _Kylie thought to herself as she attempted to decipher Harley's scrawl. She squinted and the words became slightly clearer:

Essence of Graeae (what the Hades was a graeae?) breath

Ambrosia (That was easy enough)

Nectar

Powdered Drakon Scale

Drop of- does that say Acheron or Phlegethon?

Sprig of Laurel

Kylie went straight to finding the items on the wall as noiselessly as she could. She was not sure on number five, so she grabbed some of both, "borrowing" vials to hold the substances in.

XXXXX

"She's been in there a-" Jax was cut off as Kylie slipped back through the wall, her arms laden with six vials.

"Help unless you want the ground covered in sorrow and flames," Kylie said. Jax, Annabeth, and Harley each grabbed two vials, "Oh, Harley, you need to work on legibility."  
"Is her handwriting that bad?" Jax asked. Kylie nodded.

"And I can read Ryan's," Kylie said. Harley shook her head.

"If we are done with the discussion on how illegible my writing is, can we hurry up and get to my cabin?" Harley asked.

"Sure…." Kylie said, "Did you want fire or sorrow by the way?"

"What does fire have to do with memory?" Harley asked as she headed back to the cabin, "You coming Annabeth?"

"Uh, yes, just give me a second… I want to check something out," Annabeth said. She passed her two vials over to Gwen, and they left her for Harley's cabin.

XXXXX

Annabeth had wanted to do this since she had gotten here. As the others' backs retreated from her view, Annabeth walked confidently down the circuitous camp road. She knew where she was heading. She was going to Jupiter's cabin. She had seen it earlier and knew exactly what it was, a small scale version of Jupiter Optimus Maximus' Temple. She'd always wanted to see this temple, but since it was destroyed centuries ago, she never thought she would.

Annabeth stopped with a jolt in front of the cabin. Its supporting pillars towered far over her head, supporting the roof above. Annabeth did not dare go in, that would be a foolish move. Even from the outside, Annabeth could see how it was made. She could almost see Lucius Tarquinius Superbus standing proudly in front of his half-completed building. She loved it when she could see things like this. She had always been able to, even as a little girl. She would look at the Statue of Liberty and watch in slow motion as its creation was reflected before her eyes. Was it any wonder she wanted to be an architect?

XXXXX

"Jax, you are the only one who can make this potion," Harley told him seriously, "and if you mess up, Jason might end up as a puddle on the floor."

"Great, so no pressure," Jax said, gulping slightly.

"Don't worry. If you follow my directions to the letter, Jason will get here just fine," Harley assured him.

"So, no ADHD," Gwen told her brother seriously, causing Jax to laugh.

"Come on. We need to start," Harley said. With that, she began instructing Jax on what ingredient to pour in when. Annabeth arrived into the cabin unannounced at this point. "Now, Jax, begin stirring the potion with the led spoon beside you. As you stir, say '_mettre celui dont la mémoire reflètent' _repetitively."

Jax nodded and began, "Meter cello daunt law memoire reluctant." Harley rolled her eyes and repeated the correct line at a slower pace, which Jax still managed to mess up.

Annabeth, who did not know that Jax had to be the one to do it, went over and grabbed the spoon from Jax. "Percy, let me show you," Annabeth said.

"No!" Jax and Harley yelled simultaneously, but it was already too late. Annabeth had already broken the surface of the potion with the spoon and spoken mettre celui before they yelled out. Annabeth froze.

"Annabeth, don't say another word," Harley snapped, "and don't move your hand. Jax, you take the spoon from her and continue from where she left off." They did as they were told, and Jax resumed stirring. Surprisingly, his annunciation improved drastically at this point to near perfection.

"What did I do?" Annabeth asked Harley.

"Only someone who has never met Jason before can do this. Unless I miss my guess, Jason is at your camp," Harley said.

"So the possible side effect is…" Annabeth began.

"I don't think that momentary exposure would hurt Jason, the memories on Reyna's bear will keep him grounded, but, if anyone that you know grabbed onto him while you were stirring, they might lose memory from the time they met you to the present," Harley said. Annabeth looked down. All the people who might grab Jason if he were to suddenly be enveloped in a cloud of smoke, especially after her disappearance, she knew. It might be Piper, Leo, or even Thalia, who had been planning on visiting the camp soon anyways. "But, Annabeth, that is still a very slim possibility," Harley assured her just as smoke began to arise beside of Jax.

Annabeth, Harley, Kylie, and Gwen all stared at the smoke as it grew and a shadow formed within.

XXXXX

"Maybe we should start without them," Marcus suggested.

"And what? Read the tags on their mattresses?" Hazel asked, "They took the book."

"Ryan, where is Kylie?" Reyna asked. Ryan shrugged.

"Am I my sister's keeper?" he asked.

"Well, yeah," Reyna said as if it were obvious. Ryan quirked his eyebrow challengingly, as if daring her to continue.

"Children, children," Hazel scolded laughingly, "stop this argument right now or we'll have to turn this tent around." Even Dakota rolled his eyes, but he looked away from Hazel before doing so. "Seriously, you guys, I think we need to search in groups of two. Me and Dakota, Marcus and Reyna, and Joel and Ryan."

"Joy," Joel said under his breath.

"Why do you get to go with Dakota?" Marcus asked.

"Marcus, she is my girlfriend," Dakota said to his friend.

"Whatever happened to bros before…?" Marcus asked.

"Oh gods, please don't even say it," Reyna said, rolling her eyes.

"What? Gwen isn't here right now," Marcus complained. Hazel rolled her eyes.

"Fine! I'll go with Reyna, and you, Marcus, can go with Dakota," Hazel turned to Dakota, "How about the two of you check out the meal pavilion? Reyna and I'll go to the Trivia cabin, and Joel and Ryan, would you two go check out Mercury Cabin for me?"

Everyone agreed and the groups moved out.

XXXXX

Reyna started to open Trivia's Cabin's door. "Shouldn't we knock?" Hazel asked. Reyna shrugged and completely opened the door.

"Is that…?" Hazel asked, looking into the room.

"Jason!" Reyna yelled. Reyna's best friend looked up momentarily from where he was kneeling on the ground, but then looked back down. At his feet, a girl lay unconscious.

"Piper?" Reyna heard Jason say. He looked up over at Annabeth, who was standing in the corner of the room. "What's wrong with her?" he asked.

Annabeth gulped. She looked terrified. "Ja-Jason, I'm sorry," Annabeth gasped out. Jax put a comforting arm around Annabeth's shoulder, and Harley took over.

"Jason, when she wakes up, the girl, Piper, she may not remember some things," Harley said.

"What things?" A dark girl who stood in the opposite corner asked.

"Everything since we met," Annabeth said quietly. A Latino boy who stood over in the corner shuddered slightly.

"So, she won't remember anything from…" the boy began, but Jason shushed him. The girl was waking up. Her eyelids fluttered.

"Jason?" the girl said groggily, but then she noticed her surroundings, which seemed to wake her up more, "Where's Coach Hedge? Where's the Grand Canyon? Where's my snow jacket?" Annabeth looked like someone had slapped her, Jason looked upset, but the Latino boy started laughing.

"Great line of questions, Beauty Queen!" he joked.

* * *

**So, how was it? I'm a little uneasy about the whole Piper thing, so give me some confirmation or negation... wow that sounded strange. Just a head's up, my parents are kinda upset because I got some B's last quarter, so they might take away my computer on the weekdays. So I will only be able to update on the weekends. Please review!**

**eMMeD :)**


	15. Beauty Queen Throws a Tantrum

**I've hit and passed 100 reviews! That is freakin' awesome! I seriously have to thank all my aqmazing readers (especially those who review), and apologize for taking so long to update, cuz I promise that that was not on purpose. My computer literally killed itself, and I really thought I had lost all my files (but they are fine), plus these non-reading chapters are harder to write, even if they are shorter. Okay, enough complaining.**

**Disclaimer: I would have never referred to Heracles as Hercules in my stories, so I am not Rick Riordan.**

* * *

**Jason**

Piper quirked an eyebrow at Leo, "Beauty Queen?" she asked. Leo looked over at Jason, bewildered, like he thought Jason had an answer to what they were supposed to do now. Jason shrugged. He had no better idea. Right now he barely knew where he was. Of course he understood it was the Roman camp (the purple shirts gave that much away), but he did not recognize the cabin or two of the campers. He'd recognized Reyna, Gwen, and Hazel straight off, and the guy with Annabeth had to be Percy Jackson, but the other two campers Jason vaguely recognized but could not place them. One, the taller of the two girls, had purplish-red hair that barely deviated from the color of her shirt, and her arm tattoo had seven lines on it and two crossed torches. She was a daughter of Trivia. The other had a caduceus and four lines on her arm and sandy hair. "Why'd you call me that?" Piper asked Leo, breaking Jason out of his momentary reverie.

"Piper," Annabeth began casually, "I think we need to talk. Percy, could you show Jason and Leo back to your tent?" Jason saw Percy look at Annabeth skeptically. "I'm fine, Seaweed Brain," she assured him and then turned to the three Roman girls, "Harley, Kylie, Gwen, can you go find the others and tell them what is going on?"

"Shouldn't they be in the tent?" Kylie asked.

"Are Reyna and Hazel? Go ask them where the others are. I think Thalia," she motioned to Jason's sister, "and I need to talk with Piper. It was my fault thus my mess," Annabeth told them all. Percy grabbed Annabeth's arm and whispered something in her ear that Jason couldn't hear. Annabeth's eyes flashed at her boyfriend, "I told you that I was fine, Percy, and, of course this is the wisest move!" she snapped. Percy recoiled and held his hands up defensively. About this time Harley and Kylie snuck out (pulling an unhappy Gwen with them) to talk to Hazel and Reyna, who were still outside.

"Okay, okay, just checking. Gods, Wise Girl!" Percy said, half laughing. Annabeth did not laugh, instead pointing Percy sharply over to Jason and Leo. Percy looked over and nodded towards the door, as if to say "Let's go before she kills someone.' Leo obliged immediately, but Jason staid back.

"Annabeth, I want to help explain," Jason said. Leo let out a low whistle.

"No, Jason, I need you elsewhere." Annabeth said. She sounded a lot like Minerva strategizing, until she repeated, "This is my mess and my job to clean it up."

"Uh, do I get a say in this?" Piper asked. She was ignored.

"Jason, I'm sure Reyna would like to catch up with you," there was almost a pleading in Annabeth's voice that caused Jason to agree. Annabeth sounded worn out and vulnerable, like the rug had been pulled out from under her feet again, and all she wanted to do was get back up. Jason nodded, and followed Leo and Percy out the door. He only said one more thing before disappearing.

"Fix this."

XXXXX

**Piper**

"What is going on!" yelled out Piper after watching the only two people she knew walk out the door of a strange cabin. Now Piper was pissed, and she did not even like using that word! Jason, who was supposed to be her boyfriend, and Leo, who was supposed to be her friend, had just left her, and at the command of one of the two girls Piper was staring at now. She was tall and blonde with tan skin and grey eyes that seemed to be calculating many things at once. The other girl was shorter with pale skin and a look that could only be described as a mixture of Goth and punk. The only thing that discredited that was a silver tiara-like headband that showed slightly under her dark black hair.

The blonde girl swallowed and said, "Piper, do you know what today is?" Piper looked at the other girl: _Is she serious? _The darker girl nodded, urging Piper to answer. Did this girl ever speak?

"Ummm, it's December 14th," Piper said.

"At least now we know where to start," the darker girl said, disproving Piper's theory that she could not speak.

"I'd figured out that much already, strangely enough," the blonde girl said. Piper threw her head back in exasperation.

"I'm sorry if this seems rude, but I'm not exactly having the best day. One of the guys from my school turned into a freakish storm demon-thing, then I was falling down the side of the Grand Canyon, and now I'm in a cabin that I have no idea how I got here. Please tell me what is going on!" Piper said through gritted teeth.

"Piper, my name is Annabeth Chase, and this is Thalia Grace," the blonde said, "Today is the 19th of February." Piper was instantly confused. She saw the girl, Annabeth, take in a deep breath and knew instinctively that this was going to be a long story.

XXXXX

**Reyna**

Was it unfair for Reyna's heart to break when she saw Jason react like he did to Piper? She knew it was. They'd only ever been friends, she kept telling herself, and that was probably all he felt about her. She should just accept it, right?

Despite all the mental reprimands she gave herself, Reyna's heart still gave a sudden lurch when Jason walked out of the Trivia Cabin flanked by Jax and that Latino kid. Gwen, Harley, and Kylie had come out moments before and had already left with Hazel to find the others. _Keep quiet, _Reyna told herself, _Quiet and cool. If Jason wants to talk to you, let him make the move. _Disappointedly, curiosity got the better of Reyna. She wanted to understand a little bit more about what was happening.

"Jason," the word left her mouth quickly and without much thought, "What happened?" Jason shrugged slightly and turned to Reyna.

"Annabeth, the ever-wise, made a mistake that might have cost Piper months of memory," Jason spat bitterly. Reyna saw what was going to happen before it did, and already regretted speaking. Jax's eyes flashed in Jason's direction.

"She did not know that that was going to happen," Jax said, defensive of his girlfriend.

"And? Out of anyone you should be on my side! I mean you know what it's like to just not know," Jason responded. At that moment, the Latino got in between the other two, a bold move if Reyna had ever seen one. Reyna thought that she could see the sparks jumping off of Jason.

"Okay, okay," he said. Reyna noticed that the boy had features almost elflike, meaning he was probably Mercury's- wait, no, Hermes'- kid, "Let's all just cool down."

"Leo, get out of the way," Jason said. The boy, Leo, laughed. Reyna thought she heard a note of nervousness, but that could be her own.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Every time that water and electricity meets, someone gets electrocuted," Leo said. The three guys stood frozen for a moment, but then they separated one at a time. "Good," and then Leo turned to Jax, "so you're Percy? Heard a lot about you from… well… everyone." Jax looked taken aback.

"Cool," Reyna saw Jax's hand dart behind his head, rubbing his hair in an absent way, "I've never heard of you." Reyna blinked. How had the situation, previously precarious, suddenly become awkward? Leo snorted and held out a hand for Jax.

"Leo Valdez, Head of Hephaestus, Fire Manipulator," Leo said. Reyna stared at the kid as he moved his hand out of Jax's. A bright flame glimmered in his palm. Leo turned to Reyna, "I'm betting you're that Reyna girl who Jason is supposed to 'catch up' with." Reyna nodded, still shocked that this kid was a Fire Manipulator. He didn't look dangerous. Behind them, Reyna heard the cabin door creak. Jax gave a slight jump.

"We better get going, or else Annabeth will kill me," he said.

"Where are we going?" Reyna asked.

"Neptune Tent," Jax replied.

XXXXX

**Piper**

"So let me get this straight. My mom is a Greek goddess?" Piper asked.

"Yes," Annabeth said.

"The Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite."

Thalia and Annabeth nodded.

"And I can make people do what I want just by speaking?"

Another nod.

Piper laughed, "Are you two insane?"

"Piper, I know this is hard to believe, but right now you just have to trust us. We are both demigods too," Thalia said.

"Who is your parent then?" Piper demanded.

"Zeus," Thalia said, "Annabeth's is Athena, Leo's is Hephaestus, and Jason's is Jupiter."

"Huh, aren't Jupiter and Zeus the same thing?" Piper asked.

"That is an immensely complicated story," Annabeth said, "but they are basically aspects of the same person. I cannot explain it very well, but if you just trust us, we, the group of people who were in here when you woke up, and a few other kids, are reading about a demigod war that took place last year, but the next book, if I don't miss my guess would be about the last three months, about you, Leo, and Jason."

"Trust, there is that word again. Why would I trust you? If I understood correctly, you are the reason I don't remember the last months," Piper said to Annabeth. A look of hurt flashed across Annabeth's face, but the girl masked it quickly and pushed on.

"You don't have much choice," Annabeth said. Piper groaned. She couldn't disagree with that logic.

XXXXX

**Okay, I'm just going to apologize now and admit that I am not in love with this chapter. It is too short, the characters are in some areas OOC (Jason) in my opinion, and I really wanted to include a Reyna/ Jason convo in there that will just have to wait now (but I promise it will eventually make it in here). Please give me your own input even if you absolutely hate this chapter, but especially if you liked this. I promise a better chapter next time. Oh and I'm opening a poll on my profile to see which of the Roman characters of mine is your favorite. The poll'll only be open for two weeks, so please vote. **

**eMMeD :)**


	16. I Buy Some New Friends

**A/N: Ha! Quick update! What do you all think about that? and this is actually a reading chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Rick Riordan I am not!**

* * *

Everyone was already at the tent when Jason, Jax, Leo, and Reyna came into the tent, and apparently Harley, Gwen, and Kylie had filled them in, because no one seemed surprised that Jason was there. Instead, the first thing that anyone said to him was, "Do you remember me?" and the fact was that Jason did not remember a lot of them. He recognized Dakota, Ryan, and the ones that he had already mentioned, and the ones that he had already mentioned, but the other kids were like people you saw in the supermarket once or twice a week, but never bothered to get their name.

"It's blurry," Jason said, "I remember a few of your faces. Reyna, Ryan, Dakota, Hazel, and Gwen, but the rest of you I know your faces but I can't place you."

"Better than it was though," Leo said, "Two months ago, Jason couldn't even tell you who Obama was."

"Jason, thank you for telling me about this camp," Gwen said.

"Huh?" Jason did not remember that. Gwen looked at Jason sadly, but did not get a chance to say anything because Annabeth and Thalia entered the cabin, followed by a confused looking Piper. Jason held back the desire to go over to her and comfort.

"Wow, this tent is getting crowded," Dakota said.

"And hotter," Ryan said in a fake cough, causing Thalia to glare at him.

"Well, this is the safest and largest place we can meet without drawing too much attention," Annabeth said.

"Hey, Jason, feel like introducing us to your hot friends?" Marcus asked, and Thalia glared.

"Uh, sure," Jason said. He pointed to Leo, "Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, Piper McClean, daughter of Aphrodite, and Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus and my sister." Ryan and Marcus' faces fell.

"Thalia's that Hunter of Artemis chick, right?" whispered Ryan to his sister, loud enough for Thalia to still hear.

"Yes, I happen to be the head huntress, thank you very much," Thalia said, "and as such, I happen to be capable of killing you in multiple ways using only a rubber band."

"Cool," Ryan gulped, trying to sound confident, but failing. Kylie smirked.

"Nice to meet someone who can keep Ryan in line," Kylie said, "I'm Kylie Hager, Daughter of Mercury, I was in the room when you got here. The pig to my left is Ryan Thatch, another Mercury kid, the pig on the floor is Marcus Davies, an undetermined."

"Hey, why'm I a pig?" Marcus asked.

"Hey, Jason, feel like introducing us to your hot friends?" Kylie reminded everyone, and at least Marcus had the decency to look sheepish, "Were you including Leo in that?"

"No," Marcus said. Leo feigned insult and began to make a reply.

"Shut it, Valdez," Piper said warningly, speaking for the first time since they had entered the tent. She turned to Annabeth, "Can we make with the niceties later and just start reading?"

Annabeth blinked and then said to the tent at large, "Does anyone have any complaints?" There were a few shrugs here and there. "Okay, take a seat anywhere," Annabeth said to the four new comers as she took her seat back next to Jax. Thalia took a seat on the floor next to Gwen. Leo grabbed one on the floor in front of the cot that Kylie and Ryan were sitting on. Jason took a seat on the floor near Hazel, Dakota, and Reyna. Piper took a second longer but finally took her seat next to Jason.

"Who wants to read?" Harley asked, holding up the book.

"I'll take it," Thalia said, "Who knows, maybe Kelp Head will have entertaining thoughts."

"He does," Harley assured Thalia, throwing her the book, but Jax looked incredulous.

"Kelp Head?"

"Well, I feel weird calling you by your pet name," Thalia teased, "Where are you guys in the book?"

"Chapter 10," Annabeth said. Thalia flipped the pages hastily.

"Aw! Here we are!" Thalia said. "**CHAPTER TEN I BUY SOME NEW FRIENDS… **Feel like explaining yourself, Percy?"

"Just read, Shock Goth," Jax said.

"Clever," Thalia replied before continuing to read.

**Mrs. O'Leary was the only one happy about the sleeping city.**

"Mrs. O'Leary?" Jason asked.

"Percy's pet hell hound," Thalia explained. Jason looked a Jax with a calculating look, as if he was trying to Jax with, maybe, the original Perseus.

"And a hellhound is?" Piper asked.

"Dogs of the Underworld that vary in size from a Labrador to a small house, most of which will kill demigods that bother them on sight… well except Mrs. O'Leary," Annabeth described to Piper, ending with a slight smile.

**We found her pigging out at an overturned hot dog stand while the owner was curled up on the sidewalk, sucking his thumb.**

"That was really creepy, considering he was about three-hundred pounds and had a Mohawk," Jax said.

**Argus was waiting for us with his hundred eyes wide open. He didn't say anything. He never does. I guess that's because he supposedly has an eyeball on his tongue. But his face made it clear he was freaking out.**

**I told him what we'd learned in Olympus, and how the gods would not be riding to the rescue. Argus rolled his eyes in disgust, which looked pretty psychedelic since it made his whole body swirl.**

"You know, I'm going to try that when we get back to camp," Leo muttered. Piper looked confused, but then again, that was how she had looked since waking up in the Trivia cabin.

**"You'd better get back to camp," I told him. "Guard it as best you can."**

**He pointed at me and raised his eyebrow quizzically**_**.**_

**"I'm staying," I said.**

**Argus nodded, like this answer satisfied him. He looked at Annabeth and drew a circle in the air with his finger.**

**"Yes," Annabeth agreed. "I think it's time."**

**"For what?" I asked.**

**Argus rummaged around in the back of his van. He brought out a bronze shield and passed it to Annabeth. It looked pretty much standard issue-the same kind of round shield we always used in capture the flag. But when Annabeth set it on the ground, the reflection on the polished metal changed from sky and buildings to the Statue of Liberty-which wasn't anywhere close to us.**

**"Whoa," I said. "A video shield."**

"That is pretty sweet, Annabeth. Why didn't you let us use that?" Leo asked.

"Didn't think about it," Annabeth said.

**"One of Daedalus's ideas," Annabeth said. "I had Beckendorf make this before-" She glanced at Silena. "Um, anyway, the shield bends sunlight or moonlight from anywhere in the world to create a reflection. You can literally see any target under the sun or moon, as long as natural light is touching it. Look."**

**We crowded around as Annabeth concentrated. The image zoomed and spun at first, so I got motion sickness just watching it. We were in the Central Park Zoo, then zooming down East 60th, past Bloomingdale's, then turning on Third Avenue.**

**"Whoa," Connor Stoll said. "Back up. Zoom in right there."**

**"What?" Annabeth said nervously. "You see invaders?"**

**"No, right there-Dylan's Candy Bar." Connor grinned at his brother.** **"Dude, it's open. And **_**everyone **_**is asleep. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"**

"The Stoll brothers have great minds," Ryan said.

"Agreed," Leo said.

**"Connor!" Katie Gardner scolded. She sounded like her mother, Demeter.**

"Is that such a bad thing?" Hazel demanded.

"Your mom is Demeter… or Ceres?" Thalia guessed. Hazel nodded.

**"This is serious. You are not going to loot a candy store in the middle of a war!"**

**"Sorry," Connor muttered, but he didn't sound very ashamed.**

"Why would he?" Ryan asked.

"I mean, really," Leo added.

"Ryan, Leo, are we going to have to separate you two?" Annabeth asked in a voice that would fit any kindergarten teacher.

"No, ma'am," Leo joked, but then became quiet.

**Annabeth passed her hand in front of the shield, and another scene popped up: FDR Drive, looking across the river at Lighthouse Park. "This will let us see what's going on across the city," she said. "Thank you, Argus. Hopefully we'll see you back at camp . . . someday."**

"Don don don!" Harley said, "Really, Annabeth, you can be over dramatic."

**Argus grunted. He gave me a look that clearly meant **_**Good luck; you'll need it, **_**then climbed into his van. He and the two harpy drivers swerved away, weaving around clusters of idle cars that littered the road.**

**I whistled for Mrs. O'Leary, and she came bounding over.**

**"Hey, girl," I said. "You remember Grover? The satyr we met in the park?"**

_**"WOOF!"**_

**I hoped that meant **_**Sure I do! **_**And not, **_**Do you have more hot dogs?**_

**"I need you to find him," I said. "Make sure he's still awake. We're going to need his help. You got that? Find Grover!"**

**Mrs. O'Leary gave me a sloppy wet kiss, which seemed kind of unnecessary. Then she raced off north.**

**Pollux crouched next to a sleeping policeman. "I don't get it. Why didn't we fall asleep too? Why just the mortals?"**

**"This is a huge spell," Silena Beauregard said. "The bigger the spell, the easier it is to resist. If you want to sleep millions of mortals, you've got to cast a very thin layer of magic. Sleeping demigods is much harder."**

Jason looked over at Piper for a moment. He'd heard her complain about how hard it was to make her siblings care more about anything other than looks, but Silena seemed like she'd been nice enough.

**I stared at her. "When did you learn so much about magic?"**

**Silena blushed. "I don't spend **_**all **_**my time on my wardrobe."**

**"Percy," Annabeth called. She was still looking at the shield. "You'd better see this."**

**The bronze image showed Long Island Sound near La Guardia. A fleet of a dozen speedboats raced through the dark water toward Manhattan. Each boat was packed with demigods in full Greek armor. At the back of the lead boat, a purple banner emblazoned with a black scythe flapped m the night wind. I'd never seen that design before, but it wasn't hard to figure out: the battle flag of Kronos.**

**"Scan the perimeter of the island," I said. "Quick."**

**Annabeth shifted the scene south to the harbor. A Staten Island Ferry was plowing through the waves near Ellis Island. The deck was crowded with **_**dracaenae **_**and a whole pack of hellhounds.** **Swimming in front of the ship was a pod of marine mammals. At first I thought they were dolphins. Then I saw their doglike faces and the swords strapped to their waists, and I realized they were telkhines-sea demons. The scene shifted again: the Jersey shore, right at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. A hundred assorted monsters were marching past the lanes of stopped traffic: giants with clubs, rogue Cyclopes, a few fire-spitting dragons, and, just to rub it in, a World War II-era Sherman tank, pushing cars out of its way as it rumbled into the tunnel.**

**"What's happening with the mortals outside Manhattan?" I said. "Is the whole state asleep?"**

**Annabeth frowned. "I don't think so, but it's strange. As far as I can tell from these pictures, Manhattan is totally asleep. Then there's like a fifty-mile radius around the island where time is running really, really slow. The closer you get to Manhattan, the slower it is."**

"Kronos," Jax said.

**She showed me another scene-a New Jersey highway. It was Saturday evening, so the traffic wasn't as bad as it might've been on a weekday. The drivers looked awake, but the cars were moving at about one mile per hour. Birds flew overhead in slow motion.**

**"Kronos," I said. "He's slowing time."**

**"Hecate might be helping," Katie Gardner said.**

Harley's hands clenched.

**"Look how the cars are all veering away from the Manhattan exits, like they're getting a subconscious message to turn back."**

**"I don't know." Annabeth sounded really frustrated. She **_**hated **_**not knowing.**

**"But somehow they've surrounded Manhattan in layers of magic. The outside world might not even realize something is wrong. Any mortals coming toward Manhattan will slow down so much they won't know what's happening."**

**"Like flies in amber," Jake Mason murmured.**

"Jake has such a way with words," Leo said.

**Annabeth nodded. "We shouldn't expect any help coming in."**

**I turned to my friends. They looked stunned and scared, and I couldn't blame them.**

**The shield had shown us at least three hundred enemies on the way. There were forty of us. And we were alone.**

"And there is Jax, Lord of the Pessimists," Kylie said. Annabeth leaned in and whispered into Jax's ear.

"Maybe that's what you could have been god of," Annabeth said. Jax shook his head.

"I don't think so."

**"All right," I said. "We're going to hold Manhattan."**

**Silena tugged at her armor. "Um, Percy, Manhattan is huge."**

**"We **_**are **_**going to hold it," I said. "We have to."**

"That's the right kind of attitude," Thalia nodded approvingly.

**"He's right," Annabeth said. "The gods of the wind should keep Kronos's forces away from Olympus by air, so he'll try a ground assault. We have to cut off the entrances to the island."**

**"They have boats," Michael Yew pointed out.**

**An electric tingle went down my back. Suddenly I understood Athena's advice: **_**Remember the rivers.**_

"Hmm, and Annabeth didn't need to explain it to you. You're coming along, Kelp Head," Thalia said.

"Thanks, I think," Jax said.

**"I'll take care of the boats," I said.**

**Michael frowned. "How?"**

"Not the brightest tool in the shed," Harley said, "I bet even Ryan knows what Jax is planning."

"Hey!" Ryan said.

**"Just leave it to me," I said. "We need to guard the bridges and tunnels. Let's assume they'll try a midtown or downtown assault, at least on their first try. That would be the most direct way to the Empire State Building. Michael, take Apollo's cabin to the Williamsburg Bridge. Katie, Demeter's cabin takes the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Grow thorn bushes and poison ivy in the tunnel. Do whatever you have to do, but keep them out of there! Conner, take half of Hermes cabin and cover the Manhattan Bridge. Travis, you take the other half and cover the Brooklyn Bridge. And no stopping for looting or pillaging!"**

"Awwww!" Ryan said.

"Wow, you really think a lot like the Stolls," Thalia said, before continuing to read.

**"Awwww!" the whole Hermes cabin complained.**

**"Silena, take the Aphrodite crew to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel."**

**"Oh my gods," one of her sisters said. "Fifth Avenue is **_**so **_**on our way! We could accessorize, and monsters, like, **_**totally **_**hate the smell of Givenchy."**

"50 drachmas says that's Drew," Leo said to Jason.

"Who's Drew?" Piper asked, a distasteful look spreading across her face.

"One of your half-sisters," Leo said, "hot as Hades, but about as focused as I am when I'm high on sugar."

"Ooh, lovely," Piper said, "At least Silena seems okay." No one wanted to burst Piper's bubble.

**"No delays," I said. "Well . . . the perfume thing, if you think it'll work."**

**Six Aphrodite girls kissed me on the cheek in excitement.**

Annabeth snorted, "It was only five."

"And you counted," smirked Jax.

**"All right, enough!" I closed my eyes, trying to think of what I'd forgotten. "The Holland Tunnel. Jake, take the Hephaestus cabin there. Use Greek fire, set traps. Whatever you've got."**

**He grinned. "Gladly. We've got a score to settle. For Beckendorf!"**

Joel and Leo looked down.

**The whole cabin roared in approval.**

**"The 59th Street Bridge," I said. "Clarisse-"**

"Puh," was all Gwen said.

**I faltered. Clarisse wasn't here. The whole Ares cabin, curse them, was sitting back at camp.**

**"We'll take that," Annabeth stepped in, saving me from an embarrassing silence.**

"Thanks," Jax said, kissing Annabeth's ear. Thalia covered her eyes.

"Please, Percy, don't molest Annabeth in my presence," she said.

**She turned to her siblings. "Malcolm, take the Athena cabin, activate plan twenty-three along the way, just like I showed you. Hold that position."**

**"You got it."**

**"I'll go with Percy," she said.**

"Of course, you would," Thalia said endearingly.

**"Then we'll join you, or we'll go wherever we're needed."**

**Somebody in the back of the group said, "No detours, you two."**

"Definitely one of the Stolls," Kylie said, smirking. Those two were growing on her.

**There were some giggles, but I decided to let it pass.**

**"All right," I said. "Keep in touch with cell phones."**

**"We don't have cell phones," Silena protested.**

**I reached down, picked up some snoring lady's BlackBerry, and tossed it to Silena.**

"Isn't that illegal?" Piper asked. Everyone around her burst out laughing.

"Says the one who stole a car," Leo said.

"Hey, he gave me that car," Piper said.

"Wow, I want to hear this story," Ryan said.

"No, you really don't," Jason muttered, not wanting a long, discursive story break.

"It will be in the next book more than likely," Annabeth assured him.

**"You do now. You all know Annabeth's number, right? If you need us, pick up a random phone and call us. Use it once, drop it, then borrow another one if you have to. That should make it harder for the monsters to zero in on you."**

"A strategy worthy of Athena," Leo said, sounding a lot like Chiron.

**Everyone grinned as though they liked this idea.**

**Travis cleared his throat. "Uh, if we find a really nice phone-"**

**"No, you can't keep it," I said.**

**"Aw, man."**

**"Hold it, Percy," Jake Mason said. "You forgot the Lincoln Tunnel."**

**I bit back a curse. He was right. A Sherman tank and a hundred monsters were marching through that tunnel right now, and I'd positioned our forces everywhere else.**

**Then a girl's voice called from across the street: "How about you leave that to us?"**

Thalia's silver glow intensified slightly.

"So this is when you come in?" Jason asked.

"Yep, and without us there would be a sixth

**I'd never been happier to hear anyone in my life**_**.**_

Annabeth looked at Jax.

"At that point," he amended his thoughts.

"Good," both Annabeth and Thalia said.

**A band of thirty adolescent girls crossed Fifth Avenue. They wore white shirts, silvery camouflage pants, and combat boots. They all had swords at their sides, quivers on their backs, and bows at the ready. A pack of white timber wolves milled around their feet, and many of the girls had hunting falcons on their arms.**

"Are all the hunters as hot as Thalia?" Ryan asked Leo in a whisper.

"Most," Leo whispered back. Luckily this one was quiet enough that Thalia did not hear it.

**The girl in the lead had spiky black hair and a black leather jacket.**

**She wore a silver circlet on her head like a princess's tiara, which didn't match her skull earrings or her **_**Death to Barbie **_**T-shirt showing a little Barbie doll with an arrow through its head.**

"Do you even own another shirt?" Jason asked his sister.

"Yes!" Thalia said defensively, "they just all look the same."

**"Thalia!" Annabeth cried.**

**The daughter of Zeus grinned. "The Hunters of Artemis, reporting for duty."**

"And why couldn't my mom be Artemis?" Piper asked.

"Because she is an eternal virgin," Annabeth said.

"So is Athena if I remember correctly," Piper said, "How come she has kids but Artemis doesn't?" Annabeth opened her mouth to answer, but Jax covered it.

"You don't want to know," he said. Annabeht glared at him as he put down his hand.

**There were hugs and greetings all around . . . or at least Thalia was friendly. The other Hunters didn't like being around campers, especially boys, but they didn't shoot any of us, which for them was a pretty warm welcome.**

"Sounds friendly," Piper said sarcastically.

"For them it is," Reyna said, thinking about the only time she had met the Attendees of Diana.

"Well, they can be nice," Thalia said.

"When?" Jax challenged. Thalia ignored her cousin and decided to simply continue to read.

**"Where have you been the last year?" I asked Thalia. "You've got like twice as many Hunters now!"**

**She laughed. "Long, **_**long **_**story. I bet my adventures were more dangerous than yours, Jackson."**

**"Complete lie," I said.**

"Okay," Thalia conceded, "I guess you win."

"What was that, Thalia? I didn't hear you," Jax said abnoxiously.

"Don't push it, Jackson," Thalia said before continuing to read.

**"We'll see," she promised. "After this is over, you, Annabeth, and me: cheeseburgers and fries at that hotel on West 57th."**

"You never got us those," Jax accused.

"When did I ever say I was paying?" Thalia asked.

"Enough, you two! I already warned Leo and Ryan. Don't make me do the same with you," Annabeth said.

**"Le Parker Meridien," I said. "You're on. And Thalia, thanks."**

**She shrugged. "Those monsters won't know what hit them. Hunters, move out!"**

**She slapped her silver bracelet, and the shield Aegis spiraled into full form. The golden head of Medusa molded in the center was so horrible, the campers all backed away.**

Thalia smirked.

**The Hunters took off down the avenue, followed by their wolves and falcons, and I had a feeling the Lincoln Tunnel would be safe for now.**

Gwen looked at the Hunter. Thalia was pretty cool.

**"Thank the gods," Annabeth said. "But if we don't blockade the rivers from those boats, guarding the bridges and tunnels will be pointless."**

**"You're right," I said.**

**I looked at the campers, all of them grim and determined. I tried not to feel like this was the last time I'd ever see them all together.**

"Hate to break it to you, but we all knew exactly what you were thinking," Thalia said. Jax shrugged, at least he attempted.

**"You're the greatest heroes of this millennium," I told them. "It doesn't matter how many monsters come at you. Fight bravely, and we will win." I raised Riptide and shouted, "FOR OLYMPUS!"**

Leo smirked, thinking that they weren't, because he wasn't there. Only two of the known seven were in this battle.

**They shouted in response, and our forty voices echoed off the buildings of Midtown. For a moment it sounded brave, but it died quickly in the silence of ten million sleeping New Yorkers.**

"Wow," was all that anyone could say.

**Annabeth and I would've had our pick of cars, but they were all wedged in bumper-to-bumper traffic. None of the engines were running, which was weird. It seemed the drivers had had time to turn off the ignition before they got too sleepy. Or maybe Morpheus had the power to put engines to sleep as well.**

**Most of the drivers had apparently tried to pull to the curb when they felt themselves passing out, but still the streets were too clogged to navigate.**

**Finally we found an unconscious courier leaning against a brick wall, still straddling his red Vespa. We dragged him off the scooter and laid him on the sidewalk.** **"Sorry, dude," I said. With any luck, I'd be able to bring his scooter back. If I didn't, it would hardly matter, because the city would be destroyed.**

**I drove with Annabeth behind me holding on to my waist.**

"Just keep reading, Thalia," Jax said, threateningly holding onto a capped Riptide. Thalia gave an 'Oh, I'm so scared face' but then continued reading with a shrug.

**We zigzagged down Broadway with our engine buzzing through the eerie calm. The only sounds were occasional cell phones ringing-like they were calling out to each other, as if New York had turned into a giant electronic aviary.**

**Our progress was slow. Every so often we'd come across pedestrians who'd fallen asleep right in front of a car, and we'd move them just to be safe. Once we stopped to extinguish a pretzel vendor's cart that had caught on fire.**

"With water that squirted straight out of Jax's hand I'm sure," Harley said.

"Nah, there was a fire extinguisher on the cart," Jax said.

**A few minutes later we had to rescue a baby carriage that was rolling aimlessly down the street. It turned out there was no baby in it-just somebody's sleeping poodle. Go figure.**

"Wonder if that was Gladiola," Jax whispered to Annabeth.

"There's more than one poodle in America," Annabeth replied, "the chances of that being Gladiola are inconsequential."

"Just saying," Jax said.

**We parked it safely in a doorway and kept riding.**

**We were passing Madison Square Park when Annabeth said, "Pull over."**

**I stopped in the middle of East 23rd. Annabeth jumped off and ran toward the park. By the time I caught up with her, she was staring at a bronze statue on a red marble pedestal. I'd probably passed it a million times but never really looked at it.**

**The dude was sitting in a chair with his legs crossed. He wore an old-fashioned suit-Abraham Lincoln style-with a bow tie and long coattails and stuff. A bunch of bronze books were piled under his chair. He held a writing quill in one hand and a big metal sheet of parchment in the other.**

**"Why do we care about . . ." I squinted at the name on the pedestal.**

**"William H. Steward?"**

**"Seward," Annabeth corrected. "He was a New York governor.**

"And you think that matters now?" Thalia asked incredulously.

"Of course," Jax said, "Annabeth can never resist a chance to show me up." Piper held back the desire to scream at someone. This was why she didn't remember anything that had happened recently, because Annabeth always had to show up her boyfriend.

**Minor demigod-son of Hebe, I think. But that's not important. It's the statue I care about."**

**She climbed on a park bench and examined the base of the statue.**

**"Don't tell me he's an automaton," I said.**

**Annabeth smiled. "Turns out most of the statues in the city are automatons. Daedalus planted them here just in case he needed an army."**

**"To attack Olympus or defend it?"**

**Annabeth shrugged. "Either one. That was plan twenty-three. He could activate one statue and it would start activating its brethren all over the city, until there was an army. It's dangerous, though. You know how unpredictable automatons are."**

"Yeah," Jax said. Thalia thought of Bianca automatically.

**"Uh-huh," I said. We'd had our share of bad experiences with them.**

**"You're seriously thinking about activating it?"**

**"I have Daedalus's notes," she said. "I think I can . . . Ah, here we go."**

**She pressed the tip of Seward's boot, and the statue stood up, its quill and paper ready.**

**"What's he going to do?" I muttered. "Take a memo?"**

"Hilarious, Percy," Thalia said, rolling her eyes. Jax considered kicking her, but decided against it.

**"Shh," Annabeth. "Hello, William."**

**"Bill," I suggested.**

**"Bill . . . Oh, shut up," Annabeth told me.**

Even Thalia couldn't resist laughing at that.

"Percy, you're an idiot," Annabeth said. Jax just smiled at her obnoxiously, the sort of smile that usually led to Annabeth either screaming at him or making out with him. This time, _unfortunately _thought Jax, Annabeth only laughed lightly.

**The statue tilted its head, looking at us with blank metal eyes.**

**Annabeth cleared her throat. "Hello, er, Governor Seward. Command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Defend Manhattan. Begin Activation." Seward jumped off his pedestal. He hit the ground so hard his shoes cracked the sidewalk. Then he went clanking off toward the east.**

**"He's probably going to wake up Confucius," Annabeth guessed.**

**"What?" I said.**

**"Another statue, on Division. The point is, they'll keep waking each other up until they're all activated."**

**"And then?"**

**"Hopefully, they defend Manhattan."**

**"Do they know that we're not the enemy?"**

**"I think so."**

**"That's reassuring."**

"Really is," Thalia said, holding back a laugh.

**I thought about all the bronze statues in the parks, plazas, and buildings of New York. There had to be hundreds, maybe thousands.**

**Then a ball of green light exploded in the evening sky. Greek fire, somewhere over the East River. "We have to hurry," I said. And we ran for the Vespa.**

**We parked outside Battery Park, at the lower tip of Manhattan where the Hudson and East Rivers came together and emptied into the bay.**

**"Wait here," I told Annabeth.**

**"Percy, you shouldn't go alone."**

**"Well, unless you can breathe underwater . . ."**

"Well, I can sometimes," Annabeth said, thinking of their underwater kiss.

"Well, we didn't exactly _breathe _while we were down there," Jax said, catching on.

"Can we stop with the innuendos? I think even Gwen got that one," Reyna said.

"Eww!" Gwen said, making a face.

**She sighed. "You are **_**so **_**annoying sometimes." **

**"Like when I'm right? Trust me, I'll be fine. I've got the curse of Achilles now. I'll all invincible and stuff."**

"Wow, cocky much?" Harley said.

**Annabeth didn't look convinced. "Just be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you. I mean, because we need you for the battle."**

Thalia rolled her eyes, "Great cover, Annabeth."

**I grinned. "Back in a flash."** **I clambered down the shoreline and waded into the water.**

**Just for you non-sea-god types out there, don't go swimming in New** **York Harbor. It may not be as filthy as it was in my mom's day, but that water will still probably make you grow a third eye or have mutant children when you grow up.**

"Lovely," Piper muttered, realizing that she (and the others in the cabin) was probably a mutant child.

**I dove into the murk and sank to the bottom. I tried to find the spot where the two rivers' currents seemed equal-where they met to form the bay. I figured that was the best place to get their attention.**

**"HEY!" I shouted in my best underwater voice**_**.**_ **The sound echoed in the darkness. "I heard you guys are so polluted you're embarrassed to show your faces. Is that true?"**

"What the Hades are you doing?" Harley asked.

"He's getting their attention," Jason said, and both Hazel and Reyna started laughing.

"Jason, do you remember our first quest?" Reyna asked.

"Uh… it's kind of hazy," Jason said, "Trojan Sea Monster, right?"

"Yeah, on the way, well we ran into the Amazons," Hazel said.

"Amazons," Thalia made a face, "They don't like the Hunters of Artemis that much."

"Well, Jason, had to get their attention because Juturna, the goddess of springs, was the only one who knew the chink in the Monster's armor and would only tell us where it was if we brought her the Girdle of Hippolyta," Hazel said.

"It was Hazel and my job to sneak in and get it while Jason 'distracted' Hippolyta," Reyna said.

"I'm going to guess that the punch line is how Jason 'distracted' them," Leo said.

"Umm-hmm," Hazel said, "He winged it a little, saying that his name was Hercules and like his namesake, he could beat any of the Amazons. He went on and on about how ever since the original Hercules had come, the Amazons had only become weaker."

"He was attacked by about half the Amazons at once, and, well, if it wasn't for Bobby, he was a kid of Minerva, Jason would be dead," Reyna said.

"Bobby had quite a quick tongue," Kylie said, "He could talk his way out of almost anything." All the Romans had reminiscent looks on their faces.

"Keep reading, Thalia," Jax said, "They'll be like that for a while."

**A cold current rippled through the bay, churning up plumes of garbage and silt.**

**"I heard the East River is more toxic," I continued, "but the Hudson smells worse. Or is it the other way around?"**

**The water shimmered. Something powerful and angry was watching me now. I could sense its presence . . . or maybe **_**two **_**presences. I was afraid I'd miscalculated with the insults. What if they just blasted me without showing themselves? But these were New York river gods. I figured their instinct would be to get in my face.**

Annabeth fingered Jax's Achilles' spot again and pressed it lightly, just enough to give him the same jolt as if she had hit him in the back of the head. "Don't be so cocky," Annabeht chastised.

**Sure enough, two giant forms appeared in front of me. At first they were just dark brown columns of silt, denser than the water around them. Then they grew legs, arms, and scowling faces. The creature on the left looked disturbingly like a telkhine. His face was wolfish. His body was vaguely like a seal's-sleek black with flipper hands and feet. His eyes glowed radiation green.**

**The dude on the right was more humanoid. He was dressed in rags and seaweed, with a chain-mail coat made of bottle caps and old plastic six-pack holders. His face was blotchy with algae, and his beard was overgrown. His deep blue eyes burned with anger.**

"Wow, they are just both so attractive," Harley said, shaking her head.

**The seal, who had to be the god of the East River, said, "Are you **_**trying **_**to get yourself killed, kid? Or are you just extra stupid?" The bearded spirit of the Hudson scoffed. "You're the expert on stupid, East."**

**"Watch it, Hudson," East growled. "Stay on your side of the island and mind your business."**

**"Or what? You'll throw another garbage barge at me?" They floated toward each other, ready to fight. "Hold it!" I yelled. "We've got a bigger problem."**

**"The kid's right," East snarled. "Let's both kill **_**him, **_**then we'll fight each other."**

"Yes, that's their bigger problem," Kylie said, rolling her eyes, "Not like New York is about to face a battle or anything."

**"Sounds good," Hudson said.**

**Before I could protest, a thousand scraps of garbage surged off the bottom and flew straight at me from both directions: broken glass, rocks, cans, tires.**

**I was expecting it, though. The water in front of me thickened into a shield. The debris bounced off harmlessly. Only one piece got through-a big chunk of glass that hit my chest and probably should've killed me, but it shattered against my skin.**

Jax felt Annabeth grab his hand tightly and Gwen grab his leg.

"Percy," was all Annabeth breathed out.

**The two river gods stared at me.**

**"Son of Poseidon?" East asked.**

**I nodded.**

**"Took a dip in the Styx?" Hudson asked.**

**"Yep."**

**They both made disgusted sounds.**

**"Well, that's perfect," East said. "**_**Now **_**how do we kill him?"**

**"We could electrocute him," Hudson mused. "If I could just find some jumper cables-"**

Annabeth's finger nails were indenting themselves in Jax's skin. Of course, he did not feel anything.

"So, you bathed in the River Styx," Piper said, "That means you are invincible, right?" Jax nodded.

"That's sweet!" Leo cried.

"Has its perks. One of which is not getting killed by Kronos," Jax said. Thalia decided to keep reading at this point.

**"Listen to me!" I said. "Kronos's army is invading Manhattan.'"**

**"Don't you think we know that?" East asked. "I can feel his boats right now. They're almost across."**

**"Yep," Hudson agreed. "I got some filthy monsters crossing my waters too."**

**"So stop them," I said. "Drown them. Sink their boats."**

**"Why should we?" Hudson grumbled. "So they invade Olympus. What do we care?"**

**"Because I can pay you." I took out the sand dollar my father had given me for my birthday.**

**The river gods' eyes widened.**

**"It's mine!" East said. "Give it here, kid, and I promise none of Kronos's scum are getting across the East River."**

**"Forget that," Hudson said. "That sand dollar's mine, unless you want me to let all those ships cross the Hudson."**

**"We'll compromise." I broke the sand dollar in half. A ripple of clean fresh water spread out from the break, as if all the pollution in the bay were being dissolved.**

**"You each get half," I said. "In exchange, you keep all of Kronos's forces away from Manhattan."**

"And what if it being in halves made it useless?" Annabeth asked.

"I had to go on a hunch," Jax defended. Annabeth murmured something about what if.

**"Oh, man," Hudson whimpered, reaching out for the sand dollar. "It's been so long since I was clean."**

**"The power of Poseidon," East River murmured. "He's a jerk, but he sure knows how to sweep pollution away."**

"Isn't that a stupid thing to say when his son is right there?" Marcus asked.

"And what was Jax going to do? Go tell his Daddy?" Kylie asked.

**They looked at each other, then spoke as one: "It's a deal."**

**I gave them each a sand-dollar half, which they held reverently.**

**"Um, the invaders?" I prompted.**

**East flicked his hand. "They just got sunk."**

**Hudson snapped his fingers. "Bunch of hellhounds just took a dive."**

**"Thank you," I said. "Stay clean."**

**As I rose toward the surface, East called out, "Hey, kid, any time you got a sand dollar to spend, come on back. Assuming you live."**

"Way to make sure he comes back," Dakota said.

**"Curse of Achilles," Hudson snorted. "They always think that'll save them, don't they?"**

**"If only he knew," East agreed. They both laughed, dissolving into the water.**

By now, if Jax had been able to feel pain in his hand, he would have been screaming from how deeply Annabeth's fingernails were clawing into his skin.

**Back on the shore, Annabeth was talking on her cell phone, but she hung up as soon as she saw me. She looked pretty shaken. "It worked," I told her. "The rivers are safe."**

**"Good," she said. "Because we've got other problems. Michael Yew just called. Another army is marching over the Williamsburg Bridge. The Apollo cabin needs help. And Percy, the monster leading the enemy . . . it's the Minotaur."**

"Ooh, ominous," Ryan said.

"That's the end of the chapter," Thalia said.

"Good, Annabeth, can you let go of my hand? That tickles," Jax said.

"Oh," Annabeth said, releasing Jax's hand, "Sorry.

"So, how many more chapters until we get dinner?" Marcus asked.

"1 and then we can make sleeping arrangements," Annabeth said. People agreed and Jason offered to read next.

* * *

**Okay so the Trojan Monster story was just the conglomeration of radom myths I put together. Just thought I'd tell you. So anyways, what did you all think about the chapter? Is it any good? I promise that I will have a whole bunch of explanations in a few chapters, so don't ask about that. Plz Review and Keep reading!**

**eMMeD :)**


	17. We Break a Bridge

**A/N: Here is another quick update, so you can forgive me if I take a little while for the next two. I've got an AP exam coming up and need to study. Anyways, I know I promised a heart to heart, but that'll waut until next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I am still not Rick Riordan, after so many chapters you'd think people would know that.**

* * *

Jax and Annabeth exchanged significant looks at Jason's offer. 'This is that chapter, isn't it?' Jax's look said. Annabeth gave a small nod.

"Jason, that's really nice, but... um… this chapter is really important to me," Annabeth said.

"Oookay," Jason said. Thalia, instead of throwing the book to her brother, passed it up to Annabeth, who promptly opened it up, flipping to the right chapter. Annabeth cleared her throat and began reading.

**Chapter Eleven, We Break a Bridge**

**Fortunately, Blackjack was on duty.**

**I did my best taxicab whistle,**

"Which happens to be deafening if you are standing next to him," Annabeth added.

**and within a few minutes two dark shapes circled out of the sky. They looked like hawks at first, but as they descended I could make out the long galloping legs of pegasi. **_**Yo, boss. **_**Blackjack landed at a trot, his friend Porkpie right behind him. **_**Man, I thought those wind gods were gonna knock us to Pennsylvania until we said we were with you!**_

**"Thanks for coming," I told him. "Hey, why do pegasi gallop as they fly, anyway?"**

**Blackjack whinnied. **_**Why do humans swing their arms as they walk?**_

"He has a point," Thalia said.

_**I dunno, boss. It just feels right. Where to?**_

**"We need to get to the Williamsburg Bridge," I said.**

**Blackjack lowered his neck. **_**You're darn right, boss. We flew over it on the way here, and it don't look good. Hop on!**_

**On the way to the bridge, a knot formed in the pit of my stomach.**

**The Minotaur was one of the first monsters I'd ever defeated. Four years ago he'd nearly killed my mother on Half-Blood Hill. I still had nightmares about that.**

Annabeth grabbed Jax's hand and stared down everyone in turn, daring them to poke fun at him. No one attempted.

**I'd been hoping he would stay dead for a few centuries, but I should've known my luck wouldn't hold.**

"Your luck held just fine," Thalia said.

"Yeah, you just have bad luck, Jax," Gwen said.

**We saw the battle before we were close enough to make out individual fighters. It was well after midnight now, but the bridge blazed with light. Cars were burning. Arcs of fire streamed in both directions as flaming arrows and spears sailed through the air.**

**We came in for a low pass, and I saw the Apollo campers retreating.**

**They would hide behind cars and snipe at the approaching army, setting off explosive arrows and dropping caltrops in the road, building fiery barricades wherever they could, dragging sleeping drivers out of their cars to get them out of harm's way.**

"Good, I know a lot of us would not have done that," Hazel said. If anyone else but Hazel had said that, there would have been an argument, but Hazel was just one of those people who could say the truth boldly without consequence.

**But the enemy kept advancing. An entire phalanx of **_**dracaenae **_**marched in the lead, their shields locked together, spear tips bristling over the top. An occasional arrow would connect with their snaky trunks, or a neck, or a chink in their armor, and the unlucky snake woman would disintegrate, but most of the Apollo arrows glanced harmlessly off their shield wall. **

"And their dad is the god of archery?" Piper asked.

"Not every arrow can reach its mark, especially during battles. Monsters move," Joel explained.

"Who's your parent?" Thalia asked Joel.

"Vulcan," Joel responded.

"So, that makes you and Leo like brothers, right?" Piper asked.

"Yes, I guess," Joel said.

"Cool," Leo and Thalia said in two different tones.

"Uh, hmmm, can I read now?" Annabeth asked. There were a few shrugs here and there, and Annabeth continued to read.

**About a hundred more monsters marched behind them. Hellhounds leaped ahead of the line from time to time. Most were destroyed with arrows, but one got hold of an Apollo camper and dragged him away.**

Gwen jumped and covered her face. Jax reached down and pulled Gwen up into his laugh, holding her comfortingly. He knew it was just going to get worse.

**I didn't see what happened to him next. I didn't want to know.**

**"There!" Annabeth called from the back of her pegasus.**

**Sure enough, in the middle of the invading legion was Old Beefhead himself.**

"Percy, you just rock at the whole nickname thing," Thalia said sarcastically.

**The last time I'd seen the Minotaur, he'd been wearing nothing but his tighty whities. I don't know why. Maybe he'd been shaken out of bed to chase me.**

"That does pose an interesting question," Annabeth said thoughtfully. Thalia yawned.

"Yes, that we all know that you will research thoroughly, but right now, Annabeth, you just need to read," Thalia said.

**This time, he was prepared for battle.**

**From the waist down, he wore standard Greek battle gear-a kiltlike apron of leather and metal flaps, bronze greaves covering his legs, and tightly wrapped leather sandals. His top was all bull-hair and hide and muscle leading to a head so large he should've toppled over just from the weight of his horns. He seemed larger than the last time I'd seen him-ten feet tall at least. **

"That's… intimidating," Leo said.

"Got that right," Jax said, but he was smirking.

"You realize that he wasn't talking about you, right, Percy?" Thalia asked.

"I know," Jax said.

**A double-bladed axe was strapped to his back, but he was too impatient to use it. As soon as he saw me circling overhead (or sniffed me, more likely, since his eyesight was bad), he bellowed and picked up a white limousine.**

"Woah, Jax, I think the Minotaur holds grudges," Dakota said.

**"Blackjack, dive!" I yelled.**

_**What? **_**The pegasus asked. **_**No way could he . . . Holy horse feed!**_

**We were at least a hundred feet up, but the limo came sailing toward us, flipping fender over fender like a two-ton boomerang. Annabeth and Porkpie swerved madly to the left, while Blackjack tucked in his wings and plunged. The limo sailed over my head, missing by maybe two inches. It cleared the suspension lines of the bridge and fell toward the East River.**

**Monsters jeered and shouted, and the Minotaur picked up another car.**

**"Drop us behind the lines with the Apollo cabin," I told Blackjack.**

**"Stay in earshot but get out of danger!"**

_**I ain't gonna argue, boss!**_

"Wow, Jax, you even care about a pegasus' life," Reyna said, slightly awestruck.

"Blackjack is a good man… I mean horse," Jax said.

**Blackjack swooped down behind an overturned school bus, where a couple of campers were hiding. Annabeth and I leaped off as soon as our pegasi's hooves touched the pavement. Then Blackjack and Porkpie soared into the night sky.**

**Michael Yew ran up to us. **

**He was definitely the shortest commando I'd ever seen. **

All the Romans burst out laughing, but the three who had been at the NYC battle shared a sad smile.

**He had a bandaged cut on his arm. His ferrety face was smeared with soot and his quiver was almost empty, but he was smiling like he was having a great time.**

**"Glad you could join us," he said. "Where are the other reinforcements?"**

**"For now, we're it," I said.**

**"Then we're dead," he said.**

"Well…" was all Jax said.

**"You still have your flying chariot?" Annabeth asked.**

**"Nah," Michael said. "Left it at camp. I told Clarisse she could have it. Whatever, you know? Not worth fighting about anymore.**

"And I bet the Ares Cabin still won't come," Marcus said.

"Hey, pig dos, maybe you shouldn't blast any godly parents, considering you are undecided and everything," Thalia said.

**But she said it was too late. We'd insulted her honor for the last time or some stupid thing."**

"Told you," Marcus sung out.

"I don't think anyone disagreed with you," Reyna said.

**"Least you tried," I said.**

**Michael shrugged. "Yeah, well, I called her some names when she said she still wouldn't fight. I doubt that helped. Here come the uglies!"**

"Is that what he called them?" Ryan asked. Harley rolled her eyes.

"Kylie, could you?" Harley asked.

"I was planning on it," Kylie said, smacking the back of her brother's head.

**He drew an arrow and launched it toward the enemy. The arrow made a screaming sound as it flew. When it landed, it unleashed a blast like a power chord on an electric guitar magnified through the world's largest speakers. The nearest cars exploded. Monsters dropped their weapons and clasped their ears in pain. Some ran. Others disintegrated on the spot.**

**"That was my last sonic arrow," Michael said.**

**"A gift from your dad?" I asked. "God of music?"**

**Michael grinned wickedly. "Loud music can be bad for you. Unfortunately, it doesn't always kill."**

**Sure enough, most monsters were regrouping, shaking off their confusion.**

**"We have to fall back," Michael said. "I've got Kayla and Austin setting traps farther down the bridge."**

**"No," I said. "Bring your campers forward to this position and wait for my signal. We're going to drive the enemy back to Brooklyn."**

**Michael laughed. "How do you plan to do that?"**

**I drew my sword.**

"You're kidding, right?" Piper said.

"Invincible, remember?" Leo countered.

**"Percy," Annabeth said, "let me come with you."**

"Now, I know you aren't invincible," Jason said.

"It's Percy, I'd never let him go into battle without me. He'd be killed in a second," Annabeth said. Jax opened his mouth to say something, but Annabeth cut him off, "You know it's true."

**"Too dangerous," I said. "Besides, I need you to help Michael coordinate the defensive line. I'll distract the monsters. You group up here. Move the sleeping mortals out of the way. Then you can start picking off monsters while I keep them focused on me. If anybody can do all that, you can."**

**Michael snorted. "Thanks a lot."**

**I kept my eyes on Annabeth.**

**She nodded reluctantly. "All right. Get moving."**

**Before I could lose my courage, I said, "Don't I get a kiss for luck?**

Half the cabin burst out in laughter. "Smooth, Jax," Harley said. Dakota and Marcus wolf-whistled.

"And you couldn't have edited that part out," Jax said, blushing. Annabeth gave a fake innocent look.

"As if I would ever edit anything out," Annabeth said.

**It's kind of a tradition, right?"**

"Oh, is it?" Thalia asked. Annabeth joined Jax in a blush. "When exactly did that happen?" Annabeth decided just to read.

**I figured she would punch me. Instead, she drew her knife and stared at the army marching toward us. "Come back alive, Seaweed Brain.** **Then we'll see." I figured it was the best offer I would get, so I stepped out from behind the school bus. I walked up the bridge in plain sight, straight toward the enemy.**

Gwen grabbed Jax's arm and forced him to place it around her again.

**When the Minotaur saw me, his eyes burned with hate. He bellowed sound that was somewhere between a yell, a moo, and a really loud belch.**

"You sure know how to diffuse the tension," Jason said. Somehow he doubted that his thoughts would be as interesting, and he was pretty sure the next book would be just that, his thoughts.

**"Hey, Beef Boy," I shouted back. "Didn't I kill you already?"**

**He pounded his fist into the hood of a Lexus, and it crumpled like aluminum foil.**

**A few **_**dracaenae **_**threw flaming javelins at me. I knocked them aside. A hellhound lunged, and I sidestepped. I could have stabbed it, but I hesitated.**

"You hesitated," Joel said, "all the battle prowess that you gained from the Styx, and you hesitated."

"Well, I survived," Jax said.

_**This is not Mrs. O'Leary, **_**I reminded myself. **_**This is an untamed monster. It will kill me and all my friends.**_

"Oh, so that's why you hesitated," Joel said quietly.

**It pounced again. This time I brought Riptide up in a deadly arc. The hellhound disintegrated into dust and fur. More monsters surged forward-snakes and giants and telkhines-but the Minotaur roared at them, and they backed off.**

"He really should not have done that," Annabeth said, "He could have killed you much easier if he still had his back up." Jax looked at her bemusedly.

"How am I supposed to respond to that?" he asked. Annabeth rolled her eyes and went back to reading.

**"One on one?" I called. "Just like old times?" The Minotaur's nostrils quivered. He seriously needed to keep a pack of Aloe Vera Kleenex in his armor pocket, because that nose was wet and red and pretty gross. He unstrapped his axe and swung it around.**

**It was beautiful in a harsh **_**I'm-going-to-gut-you-like-a-fish **_**kind of way. **

"Do you relate everything to the ocean?" Reyna asked Jax.

"And you always talk about how depressing the winter is," Harley said.

**Each of its twin blades was shaped like an omega: ****Ω****- the last letter of the Greek alphabet. Maybe that was because the axe would be the last thing his victims ever saw. **

"Pessimism," Thalia hummed.

"Well, it was," Jax hummed back.

**The shaft was about the same height as the Minotaur, bronze wrapped in leather. Tied around the base of each blade were lots of bead necklaces. I realized they were Camp Half-Blood beads-necklaces taken from defeated demigods.**

"Oh gods!" Hazel said. Dakota put an arm around her. Everyone else looked terrified and shocked.

"He keeps trophies," Harley said disgustedly. Gwen was now so tightly burrowed into Jax's chest and covered by his arms that she seemed nearly invisible.

**I was so mad, I imagined my eyes glowing just like the Minotaur's. I raised my sword. The monster army cheered for the Minotaur, but the sound died when I dodged his first swing and sliced his axe in half, right between the handholds.**

"Way to go, Jax!" Marcus cheered.

**"Moo?" he grunted.**

**"HAAA!" I spun and kicked him in the snout. He staggered backward, trying to regain his footing, then lowered his head to charge. He never got the chance. My sword flashed-slicing off one horn, then the other. He tried to grab me. I rolled away, picking up half of his broken axe. **

"You have a thing for cutting off the Minotaur's horn," Annabeth commented. Jax smirked.

"It's fun."

**The other monsters backed up in stunned silence, making a circle around us. The Minotaur bellowed in rage. He was never very smart to begin with, but now his anger made him reckless. He charged me, and I ran for the edge of the bridge, breaking through a line of **_**dracaenae.**_** The Minotaur must've smelled victory. He thought I was trying to get away. His minions cheered. At the edge of the bridge, I turned and braced the axe against the railing to receive his charge. The Minotaur didn't even slow down.**

_**CRUNCH.**_

Gwen smirked up at her brother, and Annabeth grabbed Jax's arm.

**He looked down in surprise at the axe handle sprouting from his breastplate.**

**"Thanks for playing," I told him.**

Thalia did not even bother to comment this time, deciding to simply roll her eyes.

**I lifted him by his legs and tossed him over the side of the bridge. Even as he fell, he was disintegrating, turning back into dust, his** **essence returning to Tartarus. I turned toward his army. It was now roughly one hundred and ninety-nine to one. I did the natural thing. I charged them.**

"Yes, that is exactly what any rational human being would do," Marcus said.

"Who ever said Jax was rational?" Harley challenged.

**You're going to ask how the "invincible" thing worked: if I magically dodged every weapon, or if the weapons hit me and just didn't harm me. Honestly, I don't remember. All I knew was that I wasn't going to let these monsters invade my hometown.**

"Aww," Ryan said, obviously disappointed that he would not get to know how that worked.

**I sliced through armor like it was made of paper. Snake women exploded. Hellhounds melted to shadow. I slashed and stabbed and whirled, and I might have even laughed once or twice-a crazy laugh that scared me as much as it did my enemies. **

"Hmm, I wonder what that sounded like," Leo said. Annabeth was shaking her head.

"You don't want to know," Annabeth said.

**I was aware of the Apollo campers behind me shooting arrows, disrupting every attempt by the enemy to rally. Finally, the monsters turned and fled, about twenty left alive out of two hundred.**

**I followed with the Apollo campers at my heels.**

**"Yes!" yelled Michael Yew. "That's what I'm talking about!"**

**We drove them back toward the Brooklyn side of the bridge. The sky was growing pale in the east. I could see the toll stations ahead.**

**"Percy!" Annabeth yelled. "You've already routed them. Pull back! We're overextended!"**

**Some part of me knew she was right, but I was doing so well, I wanted to destroy every last monster.**

"And there is one of your flaws," Annabeth said.

"I thought hubris was yours," Jax said. Annabeth shrugged.

"Maybe I'm rubbing off on you," she said, smiling.

"And I always hoped you'd be a positive influence," Jax commented.

**Then I saw the crowd at the base of the bridge. The retreating monsters were running straight toward their reinforcements. It was a small group, maybe thirty or forty demigods in battle armor, mounted on skeletal horses. One of them held a purple banner with the black scythe design.**

**The lead horseman trotted forward. He took off his helm, and I recognized Kronos himself, his eyes like molten gold. Annabeth and the Apollo campers faltered. The monsters we'd been pursuing reached the Titan's line and were absorbed into the new force. Kronos gazed in our direction. He was a quarter mile away, but I swear I could see him smile.**

Thalia clenched her fist. How could Luke turn on them like that?

**"Now," I said, "we pull back." The Titan lord's men drew their swords and charged. The hooves of their skeletal horses thundered against the pavement. Our archers shot a volley, bringing down several of the enemy, but they just kept riding. "Retreat!" I told my friends. "I'll hold them.'"**

**In a matter of seconds they were on me. Michael and his archers tried to retreat, but Annabeth stayed right beside me, fighting with her knife and mirrored shield as we slowly backed up the bridge.**

**Kronos's cavalry swirled around us, slashing and yelling insults. The Titan himself advanced leisurely, like he had all the time in the world. Being the lord of time, I guess he did. I tried to wound his men, not kill. **

"One of those could have been me easily," Harley muttered. Though she knew that she had not been at this battle, she also knew that by fighting for Kronos she had put herself in a bad position and could have easily been killed by a friend, even someone in this cabin.

**That slowed me down, but these weren't monsters. They were demigods who'd fallen under Kronos's spell. I couldn't see faces under their battle helmets, but some of them had probably been my friends. I slashed the legs off their horses and made the skeletal mounts disintegrate. After the first few demigods took a spill, the rest figured out they'd better dismount and fight me on foot.**

**Annabeth and I stayed shoulder to shoulder, facing opposite directions. A dark shape passed over me, and I dared to glance up.**

**Blackjack and Porkpie were swooping in, kicking our enemies in the helmets and flying away like very large kamikaze pigeons.**

**We'd almost made it to the middle of the bridge when something strange happened. I felt a chill down my spine-like that old saying about someone walking on your grave.**

Jax looked at Annabeth, telling her to skim over this part.

**Behind me, Annabeth cried out in pain.**

**"Annabeth!" I turned in time to see her fall, clutching her arm. A demigod with a bloody knife stood over her. In a flash I understood what had happened. He'd been trying to stab me. Judging from the position of his blade, he would've taken me-maybe by sheer luck-in the small of my back, my only weak point.**

Annabeth dropped _small of my back _from the sentence.

**Annabeth had intercepted the knife with her own body.**_** But why? **_**She didn't know about my weak spot. No one did.**

Jax let go of Gwen with one arm and moved to stroke Annabeth's scar.

**I locked eyes with the enemy demigod. He wore an eye patch under his war helm: Ethan Nakamura, the son of Nemesis. Somehow he'd survived the explosion on the **_**Princess Andromeda. **_**I slammed him in the face with my sword hilt so hard I dented his helm.**

**"Get back!" I slashed the air in a wide arc, driving the rest of the demigods away from Annabeth. "No one touches her!"**

"And that would be Percy's weakness, loyalty," Annabeth said.

"Jason's too," Reyna said.

**"Interesting," Kronos said. He towered above me on his skeletal horse, his scythe in one hand.**

**He studied the scene with narrowed eyes as if he could sense that I'd just come close to death, the way a wolf can smell fear.**

**"Bravely fought, Percy Jackson," he said. "But it's time to surrender . . . or the girl dies."**

**"Percy, don't," Annabeth groaned. Her shirt was soaked with blood. I had to get her out of here.**

Jax grabbed Annabeth's arm. He did not like reliving this part. The Styx had been less painful.

**"Blackjack!" I yelled.**

**As fast as light, the pegasus swooped down and clamped his teeth on the straps of Annabeth's armor. They soared away over the river before the enemy could even react.**

Annabeth grinned at Jax, reminding him that she was okay. Kronos had not hurt her.

"Fail!" laughed Ryan.

**Kronos snarled. "Someday soon, I am going to make pegasus soup. But in the meantime . . ." He dismounted, his scythe glistening in the dawn light. "I'll settle for another dead demigod."**

"Come on, Luke had better comebacks than that!" Thalia said.

**I met his first strike with Riptide. The impact shook the entire bridge, but I held my ground. Kronos's smile wavered. With a yell, I kicked his legs out from under him. His scythe skittered across the pavement. I stabbed downward, but he rolled aside and regained his footing. His scythe flew back to his hands.**

**"So . . ." He studied me, looking mildly annoyed. "You had the courage to visit the Styx. I had to pressure Luke in many ways to convince him. If only **_**you **_**had supplied my host body instead . . . But no matter. I am still more powerful. I am a **_**TITAN."**_

"Loser," Leo said in a fake cough.

**He struck the bridge with the butt of his scythe, and a wave of pure force blasted me backward. Cars went careening. Demigods-even Luke's own men-were blown off the edge of the bridge. Suspension cords whipped around, and I skidded halfway back to Manhattan.**

**I got unsteadily to my feet. The remaining Apollo campers had almost made it to the end of the bridge, except for Michael Yew, who was perched on one of the suspension cables a few yards away from me. His last arrow was notched in his bow.**

Jax moved his hands to hold Gwen again, knowing what was about to happen.

**"Michael, go!" I screamed.**

**"Percy, the bridge!" he called. "It's already weak!"**

"He's going to die," Gwen said simply. She knew it was coming.

"How do you know, Gwen?" Hazel asked.

"I just have a feeling," Gwen said.

"I think she's right," Marcus added.

"Just read, Annabeth," Harley said.

**At first I didn't understand. Then I looked down and saw fissures in the pavement. Patches of the road were half melted from Greek fire.**

**The bridge had taken a beating from Kronos's blast and the exploding arrows.**

**"Break it!" Michael yelled. "Use your powers!"**

"He was smarter than we gave him credit for," Kylie said.

**It was a desperate thought-no way it would work- but I stabbed Riptide into the bridge. The magic blade sank to its hilt in asphalt.**

**Salt water shot from the crack like I'd hit a geyser. I pulled out my blade and the fissure grew. The bridge shook and began to crumble.**

**Chunks the size of houses fell into the East River. Kronos's demigods cried out in alarm and scrambled backward. Some were knocked off their feet. Within a few seconds, a fifty-foot chasm opened in the Williamsburg Bridge between Kronos and me.**

**The vibrations died. Kronos's men crept to the edge and looked at the hundred-and-thirty-foot drop into the river.**

**I didn't feel safe, though. The suspension cables were still attached. The men could get across that way if they were brave enough. Or maybe Kronos had a magic way to span the gap.**

"With my mom's help, probably," Harley said.

**The Titan lord studied the problem. He looked behind him at the rising sun, then smiled across the chasm. He raised his scythe in a mock salute. "Until this evening, Jackson."**

**He mounted his horse, whirled around, and galloped back to Brooklyn, followed by his warriors.**

**I turned to thank Michael Yew, but the words died in my throat. Twenty feet away, a bow lay in the street. Its owner was nowhere to**

**"No!" I searched the wreckage on my side of the bridge. I stared down at the river. Nothing.**

Gwen felt a shiver run down her back and she lowered her head. There was a moment of silence for Michael.

"I don't want to be a demigod," Piper said heavily. A lump had formed in her throat.

"None of us want this," Jason said. Annabeth continued to read, but her voice was slower and full of sadness.

**I yelled in anger and frustration. The sound carried forever in the morning stillness.**

**I was about to whistle for Blackjack to help me search, when my mom's phone rang. The LCD display said I had a call from Finklestein & Associates-probably a demigod calling on a borrowed phone.**

**I picked up, hoping for good news. Of course I was wrong.**

"Do demigods ever get good news?" Piper asked. Everyone thought for a moment.

"Not really," Leo said, thinking about his mom, Khione, and Gaea.

**"Percy?" Silena Beauregard sounded like she'd been crying. "Plaza Hotel. You'd better come quickly and bring a healer from Apollo's cabin. It's . . . it's Annabeth."**

Jax grabbed Annabeth's arm again. "I'm okay, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth assured him, "And that was the end of the chapter. We need to talk about sleeping arrangements," she said the last part to the tent at large.

* * *

**Yes, I know. You were hoping for a big talk between Jason and Piper or Jason and Reyna, but that is next chapter, I promise. Was this chapter good? I think it was okay, but I think I need to reread The Lost Hero to get a better feel for Jason, Piper, and Leo's personalities. Just thought I would remind you all about the poll on my profile, I kinda want to know your guys thoughts so please take two seconds and take it. Please Review and thanks to all my reviewers, especially those who have been with me since the beginning, like Shoshana and 12Grace34. Just thought I'd give a shout out, oh and thanks to 4tino for the reminder about Jax's weak point! Just to establish, the second book Reyna got is the Lost Hero! **

**eMMeD :)**


	18. The Rich One's Son

**A/N: Hey! Yep I finally updated! Sorry about the delay and I'm sorry that is just another filler. Hopefully it will be the last one for a long time. Takes forever to write all 5,000 something of it's words, but this is an important chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I would rather have Rick Riordan send me an advanced copy of Son of Neptune rather than giving me ownership because he does it better as I have said before. **

* * *

After nearly ten minutes of conversation, the room arrangements were decided. Annabeth would stay in Harley's room where Thalia would join them, Gwen was moving into the Ceres Cabin under the pretense of her needing a female role model, Jason and Leo were going to sleep in the Neptune tent (Leo had already offered to take the floor), and Piper, who did not wish to join any of the cabins, finally agreed to join Reyna's tent. "The actual member of the camp," Annabeth said after the rooms were established, "will bring back food to the non-members."

"I'm guessing that I can't go," Jason said, "It would be awkward for me to just show up in the Pavilion."

"No, Jason, you can't go out of this tent until Lupa comes back and we can talk this out," Annabeth said.

"That will be at least another four or five days," Kylie said.

"Can we risk this that long?" Joel asked, "One person is already suspicious."

"What?" Jason said, "Who's suspicious?"

"Daniel," Reyna said. When Jason gave her an odd blank look, Reyna elaborated, "Head of the Apollo cabin." Jason nodded, though he still did not remember Daniel.

"He still has no idea who you're talking about," Piper said to Reyna.

"Yeah, I know that look," Reyna said sharply, hardly giving a look to Piper, "It's Jason's still-have-no-idea-but-I'm-okay-with-that look." Jason raised his eyebrows. Was he really that readable? Now, Jason knew he had to talk to Reyna tonight. Maybe Annabeth had that hat with her.

"Do you think we should Iris Chiron to tell him that we are all safe?" Thalia asked Annabeth.

"Yeah," Leo said, jumping into the conversation, "We should also show him that Percy is safe while we're at it."

"Yes, we should," Annabeth said, "We'll stay here while the others get the dinner."

"And how do I get mine?" Jax asked. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Same way we are, Sea Weed Brain," Annabeth said, but then she leaned into Jax, whispering into his ear, "You need to Iris your mom anyways." Jax nodded.

"I want Gwen here for that," Jax whispered back.

"I think we need to go to the campfire tonight," Hazel said, "Us not being there will just cause more attention."

"Hazel has a point," Jax said, "Unlike at Camp Halfblood, the Romans only get together once a week for a campfire, so missing that just looks fishy."

"Fishy," laughed Leo. Everyone looked at him strangely (a look Leo was used to). "What? I just find it funny that a Poseidon kid would call something fishy. Like if I was to refer to something as hot." Ryan laughed.

"Really not that funny, Ry," Kylie said.

"Yeah, it is," Ryan said. Suddenly the bugle signaling dinner sounded.

"You need to go," Jax said to the Romans.

"And don't forget our food," Thalia called after them as they left.

XXXXX

**Leo**

After ten minutes of attempting to find a drachma ("I left mine in my other jeans" "I've been stuck in a Roman Camp for three months" "Drachma? Dude, I'm broke"), Thalia finally found one wedged in her skinny jeans. "What's a hunter doing wearing skinny jeans anyways?" Leo found himself asking, "Do you have _any _idea what that does to guys?" Thalia rolled her eyes but otherwise ignored Leo. _Just like always._

"Here," Thalia said, passing Annabeth the drachma.

"Where are we going to make the call?" Jason asked, "We need a rainbow."

"Percy, did Neptune give you two a fountain like the one in your cabin at home?" she asked him. Jax shook his head.

"If there was one, it was lost during the war," Jax said.

"Gods," Thalia murmured, but Piper perked up slightly.

"We need a rainbow?" Piper asked.

"Yeah?" Jason said, looking at Piper suspiciously. Leo knew exactly what Jason was thinking. How could someone who did not remember anything from the last three months know where they could find a rainbow? Everyone else joined in, staring at Piper intently. Leo was surprised that Piper had even spoken.

Despite herself, Piper blushed, but spoke regardless, "In that girl's cabin- Harley- there was a prism on the wall. Would that work?"

"Would it, Annabeth?" Jax asked, "I've only done it with water." Annabeth raised a hand up to her chin, a pensive look crossing her face.

"It _likely _would," Annabeth said finally.

"Good, that sounds promising," Thalia said decisively. She stood up from her seat on the ground and began walking towards the door.

"Am I missing something?" Piper asked Jason confusedly. Leo knew she did not think _likely _sounded promising.

"Piper, this is Annabeth," Leo said, putting on his best kindergarten teacher voice, "Her saying something is likely is like you saying that you _need _that car. People believe it. Annabeth could tell me that the world was made out of marshmallow peeps and I would go out and lick a tree." Leo received a disgusted face from Thalia and Piper, a laugh from Jax, a look of half-amusement and half-"you are weird" from Jason, and a glowing look from Annabeth.

"Never wise, my friend. Giving Annabeth advice just inflates her head," Jax said. Annabeth's lips tightened and she Gibb slapped her boyfriend. Thalia was laughing heartily.

"Come on, Annabeth. You know it's true," Thalia said. Annabeth simply rolled her eyes. If it had been anyone else but Thalia, they would have regretted that comment instantly. Leo knew this because Jason had told him a little about Thalia and Annabeth's relationship. "Now are we going or not? I'm getting bored just standing here."

XXXXX

**Harley**

Harley thoroughly preferred the Roman seating to that of the Greek. Annabeth had explained last night that all the gods had different tables and the demigods could not sit anywhere else. The Roman's on the other hand just had four long tables that went from side to side of the pavilion with seats that were first come first serve. Nearly every seat was full already, and Harley knew there would be a surplus of people who would not have a chair. It was one of those lessons in discipline you had to learn when you went to the Roman camp: punctuality. Harley found a seat between Emily Danvers from Minerva cabin and Jeremiah Lute from Apollo. The seat in front of her was empty, but Harley knew that would not last long.

The plates were empty, and they would stay like that until promptly at 6 p.m. They never filled a second earlier or a second later. As it was, Harley knew she still had at least three minutes until the plates filled. Like many of the Roman campers did in times that lacked the structure and discipline that they were accustomed to, Harley's mind wandered and her ears switched from conversation to conversation going on around her.

"Thea, get over him. He's not worth it," said a voice that Harley recognized from the Mars cabin. It belonged to a husky girl called simply Murph. Thea was Victoria's kid who Petey inexplicably "won" three weeks ago, but had since lost interest.

"… Cornwall, don't smear the table with… what is that?" "I'm so happy that the Neptune kids did not show up for the naval battle today" "So, guess what happened today!" "Do you think Jax still likes me?" All of the aforementioned conversations bored Harley quickly, who did not even bother to figure out who was saying what, but the last one was a no-brainer. Emily Danvers and Jax had definitely had a spark when he first showed up, but ever since Valentine's Day, he'd been ignoring her. Harley now had a sneaking suspicion that the original romantic herself had sent Jax a momentary remembrance of Annabeth.

"You know I've been sitting here for over a minute, and you have yet to notice," said a familiar voice, breaking Harley from her thoughts. She looked up to see the seat across from her filled by a familiar dark haired, light skinned guy.

"Marcus," Harley said, "Why are you here?"

XXXXX

**Marcus**

It had quickly become apparent to Marcus that being the third wheel was horrible. As soon as they left Neptune Tent, Hazel and Dakota had gone to that magical place that couples go when they stare into each other's eyes, quickly making Marcus feel uncomfortable. Not ashamed in the least to admit it, he ditched the love birds the first chance he got.

Leaving had been the easy part, but once he reached the pavilion Marcus realized he did not know where to sit. Not that it really mattered, but sitting alone felt awkward. He and Dakota always sat together; they had both started camp at about the same time and had become friends quickly. He looked around for an open table, and luck would have it that there was a seat open right in front of Harley.

The daughter of Trivia was sitting with her eyes staring at the table blankly, her curly reddish hair framing her face. Marcus decided to sit down quietly and see how it took her to realize he was there, but he got bored quickly with her silence, so he said, "You know I've been sitting here for over a minute, and you have yet to notice."

Harley looked up suddenly in surprise, her eyes still half-unfocused. "Marcus, why are you here?" she asked.

"Why? What, do you not want me to sit here?" Marcus asked, beginning to stand up, "I could find another seat…"

"NO!" Harley said quickly, "I mean I'm fine if you stay here." Suddenly the plates filled with barbecue. Harley said, "We better go sacrifice." The two of them both stood up and took the plates to separate braziers.

"To whoever you are, you could reveal yourself any day now," Marcus said, throwing a tenth of his meal into the flames. He rejoined Harley at the table. She was already eating her barbecue with great vigor. Marcus felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips. Harley looked up suddenly.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing, just never seen a girl pile it in like you do," Marcus said. Unlike most girls Harley did not look offended. She just looked up at him with her dark eyes and shook her head.

"I'm hungry," her voice was not defensive, just factual.

"So am I," Marcus said, picking up his fork and digging in, "I left Dakota and Hazel because I felt like a third wheel."

"Ha, I know what that feels like. I remember when both Lydia and Connor were going out at the same time. So I was actually the fifth wheel. Look on the bright side; at least you don't have to live with Dakota," Harley said. This flung the two of them into a long conversation, both of them laughing a lot. Marcus was actually surprised that he could talk to Harley this easily.

"So, do you have any idea who your parent might be? It's your dad right?" Harley asked. Marcus shrugged.

"I don't know," Marcus said, "I was left at the hospital when I was a baby. A woman adopted me a few days later."

"There is no narrowing down, is there?" Harley said. Marcus shook his head as the plates suddenly cleared themselves and the bugle sounded, calling them to the campfire. Without really any thought, the two of them walked off together, still talking, and sat down together in the same area by the campfire.

"… your dad does what?" Marcus asked.

"He's a crossing guard for a school. Apparently Trivia goes for that type," Harley said seriously, "You know, the strong type who'll tell you when you can go and when you can't." Harley's straight face gave out, and both of them started laughing. Though they both stopped abruptly when the campfire grew suddenly bright. Reyna stood in front of all the demigods, looking more in charge than Marcus had ever seen her in the tent.

"Quiet," Reyna said, drawing everyone's eyes to her. She was standing erect, her eyes gazing down at them all imperially, and Marcus knew immediately what was happening. Reyna was channeling Lupa. Whenever Lupa was away on hunt during the campfire night, the camper leader, Reyna by default, channeled Lupa with the help of a Moneta's daughter, Chloie. "Do we have any new business to be brought before the fire?"

This was the purpose of the campfire, for campers to wage complaints against one another and for them to angle for certain privileges. This was where quests were given, though none had been given since the end of the second Titanomachy.

Murph, a buff looking girl from Mars cabin, raised a beefy hand. Reyna/Lupa nodded curtly, and Murph stood. She cleared her throat and said, "I have reason to believe that Petey Salinger has been using love magic on other campers irresponsibly and without a license." Marcus heard Harley laugh lightly beside his as every eye turned to Petey, who was sitting on a nearby log. Petey was one of Dakota's "friends," but Marcus could not understand why. He looked like a fully clothed (at least today), fat cupid with watery eyes and curly strawberry-blonde hair. He acted like he was the ultimate love machine and no girl could ever resist his obese cherub-like body. Marcus could definitely see Petey abusing his power like Murph said.

"Salinger, is this true?" Reyna asked, her voice the icy growl of Lupa translated into words. Petey's face was a ruddy pink shade as he turned at Thea with anger.

XXXXX

**Gwen**

So, Gwen's dinner was boring. Jax wasn't there to make jokes and all she got to see was Dakota and Hazel play smushy face from across the table. Eurrgh! In the beginning dinner had looked promising too, but then Marcus had ditched, Reyna had gone to get ready for the campfire, Joel just grunted and left, Ryan and Kylie found their siblings, and Harley hadn't even left with them.

As each member left, Gwen held back the desire to yell, "Take me with you," but Jax had asked her to stay with Hazel. At least the barbecue was good, and Gwen wanted to see how Lupa was going to be there at the campfire.

Now Gwen sat at Hazel and Dakota's feet, staring at Petey Salinger just like everyone else. "You B-" Hazel's hands enveloped Gwen's ear suddenly, blocking out Petey's voice. Gwen glared down at the ground. She'd tried to tell them all that she had heard cursing, but they still insisted on treating her like a child! Gwen had to sit there and be content with simply watching Petey's tirade. It was still entertaining…

XXXXX

**Marcus**

Petey took his seat irritably, and Marcus could not suppress a slight grin. Petey had been given three weeks of target duty. Marcus loved the irony. He heard Harley give a slight laugh from beside him; apparently she appreciated it too. "Any other business?" Reyna/Lupa asked. For a moment the crowd was silent, indicating that Marcus had not missed much of the camp doings while reading. "Any business at all?" I t was still quiet. "Very well then…"  
Suddenly Daniel from the Apollo cabin stood up boldly. Gasps sounded throughout the congregated demigods. Daniel smiled, meaning that was probably the reaction he had hoped for. "Lupa, if I may be so bold." Reyna glared down at him.

"You already are," she growled.

"Yes, I am sorry, but I wish to discuss the activity and discipline of some of the campers," Daniel said. Reyna quirked an eyebrow.

"Explain."

"There is a group of ten demigods who have not shown up for a single training session in three days, but instead stay assembled in the Neptune Tent," Daniel said, "They say it is important, but I have heard them laughing there." Marcus felt his blood boil. Harley was gripping the log as Marcus guessed she would like to have been Daniel's neck.

"Who are these demigods?" Reyna asked.

"Your host, Reyna Kingston, for a start, Jaxon and Gwen of Neptune, Ryan and Kylie of Mercury, Hazel of Ceres, Dakota of Victoria, Harley of Trivia, Joel of Hephaestus, and Marcus," Daniel said confidently.

"Stand, those who have been accused," Reyna said. Marcus and Harley both stood immediately, as did the others. No one messes with Lupa. "Explain," Reyna repeated her earlier command this time to Dakota.

"Juno herself sent Reyna a message telling us to read these books, only the ten of us," Dakota explained.

"Minotaur dung!" Daniel said, "Olympus is closed, and there was an eleventh member, a girl from Minerva. Neither she nor Jax are here tonight."

"No Minerva camper is absent tonight," Randy Hook, leader of the Minerva camp, said. Marcus raised his hand, and the demigods all went silent, staring straight at him. _That's weird, _Marcus said, _but okay._

"Lupa, Juno asked for ten _Roman _demigods," Marcus said, hoping she understood what he meant. Reyna gave a curt nod.

"No one is to speak of this until I return or bother those who are a part of it," Reyna said to the camp. Her eyes now darted back to Marcus, "All hail Marcus Davies, Son of Pluto."

"What?" Marcus asked looking down at Harley. Harley was looking at him wide-eyed and simply pointed to something above his head. Marcus looked up suddenly and nearly screamed. Above his head floated a skull wearing a large stygian crown on its head. Marcus, after years of camp, had finally been claimed. His dad was Pluto, god of the world's riches and the underworld.

XXXXX

**Thalia**

In the short time period it took to get from the tent to Trivia cabin, Thalia felt the urge to kill Leo at least four times. Jason was not much help either. He just stifled a grin every time Leo made a pass at Thalia. Jax was not half as courteous. He would laugh aloud with that goofy smirk on his face. Gods, she'd set all three of them straight later, hunter style.

"Wow, this looks like a purple haunted shack," Leo said as they neared Trivia cabin. Thalia snorted derisively.

"Just noticing that, are you, stud?" Thalia asked. She had noticed it when they'd gotten here. It made her think of an abandoned beach house, like the one she, Luke, and Annabeth had once used as a hideout, only with a bad purple paint job.

Thalia decided to take the lead and passed her way between Jason and Leo, hearing as she went, "She called me stud." She rolled her eyes and raced ahead to the cabin door, pushing her way into Trivia cabin. The first thing Thalia noticed was the smell, like fresh mint and grape juice. It was a nice smell.

"So where's that prism, Piper?" Annabeth asked, signaling that the others had caught up on her. Thalia turned to see Piper motion up at the top of the potions cabinet. A small gleaming object sat on the top.

"Woah, good eye!" Thalia said, smiling at Piper. She motioned over for Jason to get it, seeing as he was the tallest there. Jason walked over and pulled down the prism. Thalia could see that it was part of a necklace.

"Leo, could you get us a white light flashlight, like the type Apollo cabin uses?" Annabeth asked. Leo gave Annabeth a salute and reached deftly into his tool belt. He quickly pulled out a long handled flashlight.

"How- how did you get that out of your tool belt?" Piper asked.

"Magic," Leo said mysteriously and then laughed.

"Leo, you are in charge of shining the light and holding the prism steady," Annabeth told him. Leo nodded, and Jason passed him the prism. He quickly turned on the flashlight and shone it through the prism. A small rainbow cropped up on the opposite wall, shaking slightly. Annabeth walked towards the rainbow holding the drachma out. As she met the wall, Thalia found herself holding her breath. What if it did not work? Annabeth pushed the drachma against the rainbow, and it fell through it, as if the rainbow was the slot in a vending machine. Annabeth closed her eyes and muttered the normal prayer under her breath.

The suddenly became a projection screen and Annabeth could see Camp Halfblood's archery field. A single archer stood practicing. His top half a middle-aged man and his bottom half was a white stallion. "Chiron!" Annabeth said. Thalia, Piper, and Jason walked forward. Thalia bet Jax was staying back for dramatic effect, just the sort of thing Jax would do.

Chiron turned from his practice quckly and smiled when he saw the Iris message. "You are safe then, I take it," he said, "I will alert the campers that the search can stop."

"Yes, Chiron, we are all safe," Annabeth said, and Thalia saw a wide smile burst across her features, "Percy, come over here!" Jax walked over slowly, smiling just as wide as Annabeth was. Thalia moved to the side to let him through.

"Oh," Chiron said, "Hello, Percy." Thalia could not see Chiron's face, but she could hear a restrained hopefulness in his voice. "Annabeth, does he remember?"

"Oh, yes, Chiron," Annabeth responded excitedly.

"Welcome back, Percy," Chiron said; Thalia could hear the happiness in his voice now, like a father welcoming his son back from war.

"Glad to be back, Chiron," Jax responded. Thalia could see Jax's smile still.

"Now, what is wrong with you, Piper," Chiron asked. Thalia saw Piper's mouth, which had already been precariously hinged, drop open.

"Memory," Thalia said, jumping back into the Iris line of view. Chiron gave a wearied sigh.

"Memory loss is beginning to seem continually repetitive," Chiron said tiredly, "Annabeth, try what you did to Percy with Piper." Annabeth turned a bright red, and Jax looked down at his shoes.

"Somehow, Chiron, I do not think that will work," Thalia said. She turned to Annabeth and Jax, "What did you two do?"

"Uh…" Jax suggested to Annabeth, "It might work if Jason does it to Piper." Now Jason turned red. He was probably wondering the same thing Thalia was. Did they _just _kiss?

"No," Piper said quickly, "Jason is having the same problem. Somehow, I'm betting that we could cure each other."

"No, I doubt that seriously," Chiron said. He ran a hand through his wild beard, "It seems that you must cure Jason first and then Piper. Of course this all hinges on the idea that they possess the same type of memory loss. Which is a big if." In the background, Thalia heard a camper call for Chiron. "I must be off. Good bye," Chiron waved a hand in front of the Iris image. It dissipated and the wall was left blank again.

"Well that was nice," Leo said.

XXXXX

**Reyna**

Hosting Lupa had been exhausting, and Reyna had no idea what had been said during the campfire. It was like being set to asleep while body was on hyper drive. It felt like she should still be asleep. Even worse was that she had been with the Greek takeout boxes (something about how she knew Jason the best. What the Hades that had to do with anything…).

When Reyna got to the Neptune tent, the Greeks weren't even there! They'd left a note on the bed saying that they were going to Hecate Trivia cabin. Grumbling in Latin under her breath, Reyna walked over to Trivia cabin, lugging a large bag full of Chinese takeout cartons.

The door was shut and her arms were full, so Reyna decided to just yell. "Hey! Open up if you want to eat!" It took about two seconds for someone to come and open up the door for her. It was that Leo kid with a large grin on his face.

"Whatcha get us?" Leo asked excitedly.

"Barbecue," Reyna answered.

"Well, I hope you got some veggies for Piper," Leo said, "She's a vegetarian."

"There are some celery sticks," Reyna offered, not feeling too bad for the love goddess' daughter. Leo shrugged.

"I'll just get her some tofu," Leo said. Reyna raised an eyebrow. Where was Leo going to get tofu? "My tool belt, it's connected to a shed at the camp. We had some tofu on a snack table in there."

"So why did I have to bring you all dinner," Reyna asked. Leo shrugged.

"Annabeth forgot?" he guessed, "Better come on in. Jason wants to talk to you I think," Leo said. Reyna's heart gave a leap.

"Really?" Reyna asked, her voice nearly an octave higher than usual.

"Yeah, I mean you're the reason he never started it with Piper. After he remembered you, he thought you might be someone…" Reyna did not listen to anything more, dodging past Leo into the room. She heard Leo mumble something at the door, but ignored him.

"I've got the food," Reyna said, dropping the bag unceremoniously onto the desk space. The Greeks and Jason, who had all been sitting on different hammocks, were in the midst of a conversation.

"He really attempted to eat a stapler?" Piper said.

"Uh huh," Thalia said smirking widely.

"In my defense, I was only two," Jason said, holding up his hands. Leo, who was coming back from the door, laughed loudly.

"Dude, there is no excuse for that," Leo said.

"So is that how you got that scar, Jason," Reyna said as she grabbed out paper plates and forks, beginning to pass them around to the Greeks, "I always thought it was from something brave!"

"Great, Thalia, you are disillusioning all his fan girls," Jax said.

"So sorry," Thalia said with a yawn. Piper looked over at Reyna and mouthed the words '_fan girls?_'

"Guys, if you want food, I suggest you _never _call me fan girl again," Reyna said. She could almost imagine what would happen if Hazel was there. She would be laughing and saying that Reyna was definitely a fan girl. "As it is, right now only Jax is not getting food."

"I repent," Jax said.

"Fine, I guess you get food," Reyna said, "but you are serving it." Jax shrugged and grabbed a carton of food. Jason stood up and walked over to Reyna.

"We need to talk… now," Jason said. Reyna barely had out a head nod before Jason was pulling her out of the cabin to sit on the front steps. He sat down on the seat and motioned for Reyna to do the same. "Okay, my memories are not really clear, but I know that you- you're something special to me. I can't figure if it's like Thalia or like…."  
"Piper," Reyna finished, the word tasted like poison. Jason nodded.

"So are you and I… you know?" Jason asked. Reyna laughed. She didn't even hesitate to think about lying. That would be wrong.

"No," was all Reyna said before leaning forward and kissing him like she had wanted to do for years, but now it felt bitter sweet. Reyna hoped it was the right thing to do, hoped he was like Jax and that this would stir his memories. His lips were soft, and she could feel that scar, but it did not feel right. Jason did not even try to fight, but suddenly his body went rigid, and Reyna knew it was time to let go and cover his mouth.

XXXXX

**Piper**

"Someone, help me get Jason inside," Reyna's voice came from outside the door. The girl did not sound like something was wrong, more like what a person sounds like when a child falls asleep on the way home from a movie. Yet the words held certain urgency in themselves. Why would Jason, a perfectly healthy teenage guy, need help getting inside? Piper bolted up, and her plate fell to the floor, but she barely noticed. Racing out the front door, Piper found Reyna sitting on the stairs holding an unconscious Jason's head.

"What did you do to him?" exclaimed Piper.

"Hopefully got his memory back," Reyna said calmly, "Now help me get him in the cabin." Piper stood there open mouthed, unsure of how to respond.

"Gods, Piper, he's fine," Reyna said, "Help me get him in or I'll call out Leo instead." This snapped Piper back to reality and she helped Reyna maneuver Jason into the cabin. They sat him on the floor. Only Jax and Annabeth seemed laid back about what had happened to him.

"Holy Crap!" Leo exclaimed, "What did you do?" Thalia ran to sit next to her brother, looking at Reyna murderously.

"Thalia, he's fine," Annabeth assured him, "Percy, get me the smelling salts from the cabinet. They are in a pink tin."

XXXXX

**Jason**

Jason was flying. Every time he passed through a cloud, he would have a rush of foggy memory. There was Reyna and him playing with their first swords at age four. There was him and Bobby laughing at stupid Laffy Taffy jokes, him and Kylie making out (his first kiss), Lupa dropping the gold Julius coin into his palm, telling him it was a gift from his patron, and a million more memories. Each cloud burst as he went through, and now he knew that Reyna was like his twin, realizing why the kiss felt like he was kissing Thalia.

As he burst through the last cloud and the memory of Juno coming to him and rambling about destiny ran through his mind, he smelt something volatile, and jerked violently.

He was back in Trivia cabin, but now it felt more familiar, like that weird cousin you ignore at family reunions. Thalia was staring down at him anxiously, and Piper was wafting an open tin of something disgusting under his nose. Reyna was next to the two of them holding a plate of barbecue.

"Hey, to answer your question, if you have not already figured it out yet, you like me like you like Thalia," Reyna said. Jason smiled at her. It felt good to remember.

XXXXX

**Reyna**

It hurt Reyna a lot to say that to Jason, but she couldn't lie to him now or tell him how she felt about him. He was in love with Piper. Reyna could see it in his eyes, yet she knew that she would never stop being in love with him. Hopefully she could change that into a more sisterly love.

* * *

**Yeah okay sorry to those Reyson fans, but I like her with someone else right now. You'll see. Anyways, if you caught from the disclaimer, My birthday is this Friday! So please review! Oh if you want to, read my other story How Annabeth Spent Valentine's ****if you want more info on how both Percy and Annabeth missed one another. The first chapter might seem slightly repetitive. Anyways, just keep reading!  
eMMeD :)**


	19. Rachel Makes a Bad Deal

**A/N: Sorry for how long it took for me to update. Don't have any idea why this took so long to write. Anyways, I'm excited because there are only 11 more chapters in this book. If I update at a good rate, I can be done by the beginning of July!**

**Disclaimer: Does this look anything like the first chapter of Son Of Neptune that was released? I am not Rick Riordan.**

* * *

The next morning, all the demigods gathered in Neptune tent after a quick breakfast. It took nearly an hour for everyone to get a recap from the previous night and to celebrate. Kylie even nicked some more snacks.

"We really should start reading," Annabeth said as she took another bite from a Hostess Cupcake.

"Fine," Jason said.

"I want to read," Thalia said.

"Really? Again?" Leo complained.

"Yeah, again," Thalia said, grabbing the book and opening to chapter twelve. Annabeth smiled her thanks. She had told Thalia last night that they needed someone to cover up Jax's mortal point again.

**CHAPTER TWELVE RACHEL MAKES A BAD DEAL **

"It wasn't that bad," Thalia remarked.

"I didn't know that then," Jax said.

"What's the deal?" Ryan asked; curiosity once again taking control.

"You'll see," Thalia said annoyingly as she continued reading. Ryan gave her a dirty look.

**I grabbed Will Solace from the Apollo cabin and told the rest of his siblings to keep searching for Michael Yew. We borrowed a Yamaha FZI from a sleeping biker and drove to the Plaza Hotel at speeds that would've given my mom a heart attack. I'd never driven a motorcycle before, but it wasn't any harder than riding a pegasus.**

"Except that you can't talk to a motorcycle," Harley said. Jax shrugged.

"Still wasn't hard."

**Along the way, I noticed a lot of empty pedestals that usually held statues. Plan twenty-three seemed to be working. I didn't know if that was good or bad. **

**It only took us five minutes to reach the Plaza, an old-fashioned white stone hotel with a gabled blue roof, sitting at the southeast corner of Central Park. **

**Tactically speaking, the Plaza wasn't the best place for a headquarters. It wasn't the tallest building in town, or the most centrally located. But it had old-school style and had attracted a lot of famous demigods over the years, like the Beatles and Alfred Hitchcock, so I figured we were in good company.**

"Because old-school style is all that matters," Ryan said.

"Wouldn't the Empire State Building have made a better tactical position?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, you could have just dropped drachmas onto their heads!" Leo said excitedly.

"I think the monsters are a little more resilient than that," Annabeth said with a smile. The truth was if she had been well at this point she would have chosen a better headquarters.

**I gunned the Yamaha over the curb and swerved to a stop at the fountain outside the hotel. Will and I hopped off. The statue at the top of the fountain called down, "Oh, fine. I suppose you want me to watch your bike too!" **

"Well, no, but it would be nice," Dakota said.

"Oh come on, we all know Jax was just riding around looking for a statue he could press into Olympian service," Hazel said, rolling her eyes.

"Wow, that was a confusing sentence," Piper said. Hazel smiled lightly, for some reason, she always considered this a compliment.

**She was a life-size bronze standing in the middle of a granite wore only a bronze sheet around her legs, and she was holding a basket of metal fruit. I'd never paid her too much attention before. Then again, she'd never talked to me before.**

"Yeah, that was a little disconcerting," Thalia said.

**"Are you supposed to be Demeter?" I asked. A bronze apple sailed over my head. **

"Really, Jax? She is clearly Pompona, goddess of plenty," Harley said.

"Pompona is only a Roman goddess though," Joel said, "you can't expect them to know who she is."

**"Everyone thinks I'm Demeter.'" she complained. "I'm Pompona, the Roman Goddess of Plenty, but why should you care? Nobody cares about the minor gods. If you cared about the minor gods, you wouldn't be losing this war! Three cheers for Morpheus and Hecate, I say!"**

"Wow," Marcus said.

"She was on our side too," Jason said, "If Dad knew what she was saying…"

"He'd trash her statue and sanction her to this camp for a century," Thalia said.

"And nobody wants that," Jax assured them all. Pompona would probably be just as bad as Mr. D was.

**"Watch the bike," I told her. Pompona cursed in Latin and threw more fruit as Will and I ran toward the hotel. I'd never actually been inside the Plaza. The lobby was impressive, with the crystal chandeliers and the passed-out rich people, but I didn't pay much attention.**

"Yeah, sounds like it," Reyna said, "I totally describe a place when I don't pay much attention."

**A couple of Hunters gave us directions to the elevators, and we rode up to the penthouse suites.**

**Demigods had completely taken over the top floors. Campers and Hunters were crashed out on sofas, washing up in the bathrooms, ripping silk draperies to bandage their wounds, and helping themselves to snacks and sodas from the minibars. A couple of timber wolves were drinking out of the toilets. I was relieved to see that so many of my friends had made it through the night alive, but everybody looked beat up.**

**"Percy!" Jake Mason clapped me on the shoulder. "We're getting reports-" **

"I bet that Jake looks worse now than he did then," Leo said. Jax raised his eyebrows.

"What happened to Jake?" Jax asked.

"Oh, you'll see," Leo said evilly.

"He's fine, Percy," Annabeth assured him.

**"Later," I said. "Where's Annabeth?" **

**"The terrace. She's alive, man, but . . ." I pushed past him. Under different circumstances I would've loved the view from the terrace. It looked straight down onto Central Park. The morning was clear and bright-perfect for a picnic or a hike, or pretty much anything except fighting monsters.**

"What kind of weather is good for that?" Gwen questioned, making a face.

"None," the whole tent echoed.

**Annabeth lay on a lounge chair. Her face was pale and beaded with sweat. Even though she was covered in blankets, she shivered. **

Jax grabbed Annabeth's arm protectively.

"Calm down, Seaweed Brain. I'm fine," Annabeth said soothingly.

**Silena Beauregard was wiping her forehead with a cool cloth. Will and I pushed through a crowd of Athena kids. Will unwrapped Annabeth's bandages to examine the wound, and I wanted to faint.**

Thalia sent a look through the cabin, daring anyone, especially Leo, to laugh.

**The bleeding had stopped but the gash looked deep. The skin around the cut was a horrible shade of green.**

**"Annabeth . . ." I choked up. She'd taken that knife for me. How could I have let that happen?**

**"Poison on the dagger," she mumbled. "Pretty stupid of me, huh?" Will Solace exhaled with relief. **

"No, it was not," Jax said simply.

"I'm glad I did,"Annabeth said.

**"It's not so bad, Annabeth. A few more minutes and we would've been in trouble, but the venom hasn't gotten past the shoulder yet. Just lie still. Somebody hand me some nectar."**

**I grabbed a canteen. Will cleaned out the wound with the godly drink while I held Annabeth's hand. "Ow,"she said. "Ow, ow!" She gripped my fingers so tight they turned purple, **

"But it didn't hurt," Jax said.

"One of the perks of having an invincible boyfriend," Annabeth said, "No matter how hard I attempt, I'll never hurt you."

"Gods, you two are sickening," Kylie said. Gwen nodded her head fervently in agreement.

**but she stayed still, like Will asked. Silena muttered words of encouragement. Will put some silver paste over the wound and hummed words in Ancient Greek- a hymn to Apollo. Then he applied fresh bandages and stood up shakily.**

"Using your powers can take a lot out of you," Marcus noted.

"Have you tried any yet?" Harley asked him.

"Any what?"

"Pluto powers," Harley answered, "Maybe you have all the ones Nico has."

"I'll try them later," Marcus said, but he did not sound too thrilled about it. Those powers had sounded hard and rather terrifying.

**The healing must've taken a lot of his energy. He looked almost as pale as Annabeth. "That should do it," he said. "But we're going to need some mortal supplies." He grabbed a piece of hotel stationery, jotted down some notes, and handed it to one of the Athena guys.**

"Really, you think you'd know his name. I mean he is your girlfriend's brother," Piper said.

"Yeah, well there are a lot of them," Jax said defensively.

"It was Arthur Psykes," Annabeth informed them. She said his name sadly, like he was some lost puppy Annabeth had tried to take into her home, but he would not come, "I really don't care if you remember him."

**"There's a Duane Reade on Fifth. Normally I would never steal-"**

"I would," Ryan said.

**"I would," Travis volunteered. Will glared at him. "Leave cash or drachmas to pay, whatever you've got, but this is an emergency. I've got a feeling we're going to have a lot more people to treat." **

**Nobody disagreed. There was hardly a single demigod who hadn't already been wounded . . . except me. "Come on, guys," Travis Stoll said. "Let's give Annabeth some space. We've got a drugstore to raid . . . I mean, visit." **

Everyone was laughing at that. "I went by later on and left some cash for them," Annabeth said.

"Aww, someone has a guilty conscience," Harley asked. Annabeth just nodded.

**The demigods shuffled back inside. Jake Mason grabbed my shoulder as he was leaving. "We'll talk later, but it's under control. I'm using Annabeth's shield to keep an eye on things. The enemy withdrew at sunrise; not sure why. We've got a lookout at each bridge and tunnel."**

**"Thanks, man," I said.**

**He nodded. "Just take your time."**

**He closed the terrace doors behind him, leaving Silena, Annabeth, and me alone. Silena pressed a cool cloth to Annabeth's forehead. "This is all my fault."**

Those who knew what Silena did looked down silently. It was not her fault. They would never assign her the blame. "What does she mean?" Kylie asked Leo. Leo simply shook his head.

"Everyone feels like it is their fault when something bad happens," Piper said, though somewhere deep inside Piper knew that it was more than just that, she just could not remember what it was.

**"No," Annabeth said weakly. "Silena, how is it your fault?"**

**"I've never been any good at camp," she murmured. "Not like you or Percy. If I was a better fighter ..." Her mouth trembled. Ever since Beckendorf died she'd been getting worse, and every time I looked at her, it made me angry about his death all over again. Her expression reminded me of glass- like she might break any minute. I swore to myself that if I ever found the spy who'd cost her boyfriend his life, I would give him to Mrs. O'Leary as a chew toy.**

Jax shook his head, and Annabeth looked down sadly. She knew what Silena felt like at this point, like she was the reason her boyfriend was gone. Though it was stupid, Annabeth had thought that maybe Hera had taken Percy away because of how much she hated Annabeth. It was impossible to get over a pain like that.

**"You're a great camper," I told Silena. "You're the best pegasus rider we have. And you get along with people. Believe me, anyone who can make friends with Clarisse has talent."**

"You got that right," Dakota said. Annabeth felt a twinge in the pit of her stomach. Clarisse had helped her a lot while Percy was missing.

**She stared at me like I'd just given her an idea. "That's it! We need the Ares cabin. I can talk to Clarisse. I know I can convince her to help us." **

"I'm not so sure," Joel said.

**"Whoa, Silena. Even if you could get off the island, Clarisse is pretty stubborn. Once she gets angry-" **

**"Please," Silena said. "I can take a pegasus. I know I can make it back to camp. Let me try." I exchanged looks with Annabeth. She nodded slightly. I didn't like the idea. I didn't think Silena stood a chance of convincing Clarisse to fight. On the other hand, Silena was so distracted right now that she would just get herself hurt in battle. Maybe sending her back to camp would give her something else to focus on.**

"Or get her killed," Jax muttered so that only Annabeth could hear. This was one of those deaths he would always feel responsible for. Annabeth squeezed his hand slightly, as if to tell him that it was not his fault.

**"All right," I told her. "I can't think of anybody better to try." Silena threw her arms around me. Then she pushed back awkwardly, glancing at Annabeth. "Um, sorry. Thank you, Percy! I won't let you down!" **

"What were you thinking right then," Jax asked Annabeth.

"That you made a wise move," Annabeth said, "and about Rachel."

**Once she was gone, I knelt next to Annabeth and felt her forehead. She was still burning up. "You're cute when you're worried," she muttered. "Your eyebrows get all scrunched together."**

"And you were checking me out," Jax said, laughing.

"Huh?" Gwen asked.

"It's nothing, Gwen. Your brother just has a narcissistic personality," Annabeth said.

"Isn't that the dude who turned down Echo?" Jax asked.

"He fell in love with his own reflection," Piper said before Annabeth could speak, "I remember that story."

**"You are not going to die while I owe you a favor," I said. "Why did you take that knife?"**

**"You would've done the same for me."**

**It was true. I guess we both knew it. Still, I felt like somebody was poking my heart with a cold metal rod. "How did you know?"**

"I just had a gut feeling. Like I when I knew Luke wasn't dead," Annabeth said. Thalia looked down at the ground speechlessly and Jax groaned.

"Guessing this is a bad topic," Kylie said.

"No, this is definitely a favorite of theirs," Harley said, rolling her eyes.

**"Know what?"**

**I looked around to make sure we were alone. Then I leaned in close and whispered: "My Achilles spot. If you hadn't taken that knife, I would've died." She got a faraway look in her eyes. Her breath smelled of grapes, maybe from the nectar.**

"Sometimes, Percy, your observation skills are creepy," Thalia said.

"Blame my amazing demigod powers," Jax said, smirking, "And your observation skills are probably just as creepy."

"Point taken," Thalia said.

**"I don't know, Percy. I just had this feeling you were in danger. Where . . . where is the spot?" I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. But this was Annabeth. If I couldn't trust her, I couldn't trust anyone.**

Thalia omitted the spot, replacing it with, "I told her where it was."

Annabeth smiled slightly. She'd thank Thalia later.

**She lifted her hand. "Where? Here?"**

**She put her hand on **"the spot"**, and my skin tingled. I moved her fingers to the one spot that grounded me to my mortal life. A thousand volts of electricity seemed to arc through my body.**

"I wonder if that is natural to the spot or only related to how you feel about Annabeth," Joel said thoughtfully.

"I don't know," Jax said truthfully, nor did he really want to test out the theory. That meant telling someone else where his point was or letting Thalia touch. Neither was an appealing idea.

**"You saved me," I said. "Thanks." She removed her hand, but I kept holding it.**

**"So you owe me," she said weakly. "What else is new?" We watched the sun come up over the city. The traffic should've been heavy by now, but there were no cars honking, no crowds bustling along the sidewalks. Far away, I could hear a car alarm echo through the streets. A plume of black smoke curled into the sky somewhere over Harlem. I wondered how many ovens had been left on when the Morpheus spell hit; how many people had fallen asleep in the middle of cooking dinner. Pretty soon there would be more fires. Everyone in New York was in danger-and all those lives depended on us.**

"You are great at making us all feel at ease, Jax," Marcus said.

"That's not my job," Jax said, "Reality is more important than giving them false hopes. If I don't give my troops false hopes, why would I lie to myself?"

"I think I agree with Thalia," Hazel said, "Your attentiveness is creepy."

**"You asked me why Hermes was mad at me," Annabeth said.**

**"Hey, you need to rest-"**

**"No, I want to tell you. It's been bothering me for a long time." She moved her shoulder and winced. "Last year, Luke came to see me in San Francisco." **

**"In person?" I felt like she'd just hit me with a hammer. "He came to your house?"**

**"This was before we went into the Labyrinth, before . . ." She faltered, but I knew what she meant: before be turned into Kronos.**

**"He came under a flag of truce. **

"Annabeth," Thalia said. Her voice was warning and sad.

"It has already happened, Thalia," Annabeth said, pointing at the book to tell Thalia to continue reading.

**He said he only wanted five minutes to talk. He looked scared, Percy. He told me Kronos was going to use him to take over the world. He said he wanted to run away, like the old days. He wanted me to come with him."**

"I doubt you could have run," Thalia said, shaking her head sadly. Gods, she missed Luke.

**"But you didn't trust him." **

**"Of course not. I thought it was a trick. Plus . . . well, a lot of things had changed since the old days. I told Luke there was no way. He got mad. He said . . . he said I might as well fight him right there, because it was the last chance I'd get."**

**Her forehead broke out in sweat again. The story was taking too much of her energy. "It's okay," I said. "Try to get some rest." **

**"You don't understand, Percy. Hermes was right. Maybe if I'd gone with him, I could've changed his mind. Or-or I had a knife. Luke was unarmed. I could've-"**

"Could've what?" Thalia said suddenly, "You wouldn't have hurt Luke."

"I was delirious at this point and, well, just felt useless," Annabeth said.

"Totally know how that feels," Reyna says. Impotent was one of the worst you could feel like, "It makes you feel nauseous."

"Which one: the delirium or the uselessness?" Dakota asked.

"Both," Annabeth said, "They both feel the same." Her voice was deadly quiet, like she was remembering the worst moment of her life. Jax grabbed her hand protectively.

**"Killed him?" I said. "You know that wouldn't have been right."**

**She squeezed her eyes shut. "Luke said Kronos would use him like a stepping stone. Those were his exact words. Kronos would use Luke, and become even more powerful."**

**"He did that," I said. "He possessed Luke's body."**

**"But what if Luke's body is only a transition? What if Kronos has a plan to become even more powerful? I could've stopped him. The war is my fault." Her story made me feel like I was back in the Styx, slowly dissolving. I remembered last summer, when the two-headed god, Janus, had warned Annabeth she would have to make a major choice-and that had happened after she saw Luke. **

"Woah, nice deduction," Dakota said.

"How is that a nice deduction? Annabeth already mentioned that," Harley said. Marcus and Jason laughed.

"Dakota would have forgotten that by now," Jason said, his mind reeling through different memories of all the times Dakota had forgotten something. It felt good to remember.

**Pan had also said something to her: You will play a great role, though it may not be the role you imagined. I wanted to ask her about the vision Hestia had shown me, about her early days with Luke and Thalia. I knew it had something to do with my prophecy, but I didn't understand what. **

**Before I could get up my nerve, the terrace door opened. Connor Stoll stepped through. "Percy." He glanced at Annabeth like he didn't want to say anything bad in front of her, but I could tell he wasn't bringing good news.**

**"Mrs. O'Leary just came back with Grover. I think you should talk to him."**

"Dun.. Dun.. dun!" Ryan said in imitation of scary music.

**Grover was having a snack in the living room. He was dressed for battle in an armored shirt made from tree bark and twist ties, with his wooden cudgel and his reed pipes hanging from his belt. The Demeter cabin had whipped up a whole buffet in the hotel kitchens-everything from pizza to pineapple ice cream.**

**Unfortunately, Grover was eating the furniture. He'd already chewed the stuffing off a fancy chair and was now gnawing the armrest.**

"Sounds like our goat-boy," Thalia said, rolling her eyes, "All that great food and he goes for the upholstery." Gwen laughed hardest out of everyone in the cabin at that.

**"Dude," I said, "we're only borrowing this place."**

**"Blah-ha-ha!" He had stuffing all over his face. "Sorry, Percy. It's just . . . Louis the Sixteenth . Plus I always eat furniture when I get-"**

"Nervous," Jax supplied, and Thalia smirked at him.

"You really shouldn't finish other people's sentences," Thalia said.

**"When you get nervous," I said. "Yeah, I know. So what's up?"**

**He clopped on his hooves. "I heard about Annabeth. Is she . . .?"**

**"She's going to be fine. She's resting."**

**Grover took a deep breath. "That's good. I've mobilized most of the nature spirits in the city-well, the ones that will listen to me, anyway." He rubbed his forehead. "I had no idea acorns could hurt so much. Anyway, we're helping out as much as we can."**

"Thank the gods for satyrs like Grover," Marcus said, and Harley gave an odd groan. "What?" Marcus asked.

"Now that you are claimed I can't joke around and say that you are Bacchus' kid," Harley said.

"I know. That is probably the best thing about getting claimed," Marcus said, a quirky smile cocking his lips.

**He told me about the skirmishes they'd seen. Mostly they'd been covering uptown, where we didn't have enough demigods. Hellhounds had appeared in all sorts of places, shadow-traveling inside our lines, and the dryads and satyrs had been fighting them off. A young dragon had appeared in Harlem, and a dozen wood nymphs died before the monster was finally defeated.**

"Dragons," Joel said, making a face. Leo sat up straightly.

"What's wrong with dragons?" Leo demanded.

"Never met one I didn't regret meeting," Joel said. Leo seethed silently.

"What's up with him?" Reyna asked Jason.

"Leo has a thing for dragons," was all Jason said.

**As Grover talked, Thalia entered the room with two of her lieutenants. She nodded to me grimly, went outside to check on Annabeth, and came back in.**

"That was quick," Hazel said.

"It was actually about a three minute visit," Annabeth said.

"I couldn't stand much more. I've never been good at sickbeds," Thalia said.

**She listened while Grover completed his report-the details getting worse and worse.**

"Ooh, goody," Harley said sarcastically.

**"We lost twenty satyrs against some giants at Fort Washington," he said, his voice trembling. "Almost half my kinsmen. River spirits drowned the giants in the end, but . . ." Thalia shouldered her bow. **

**"Percy, Kronos's forces are still gathering at every bridge and tunnel. And Kronos isn't the only Titan. One of my Hunters spotted a huge man in golden armor mustering an army on the Jersey shore. I'm not sure who he is, but he radiates power like only a Titan or god."**

"Sol or Hyperion," Kylie said.

"Helios is Sol's Greek name, and he faded a while ago," Annabeth said.

"So Hyperion it is," Leo said.

**I remembered the golden Titan from my dream-the one on Mount Othrys who erupted into flames. "Great," I said. "Any good news?" Thalia shrugged. "We've sealed off the subway tunnels into Manhattan. My best trappers took care of it. Also, it seems like the enemy is waiting for tonight to attack. I think Luke"-she caught herself-"I mean Kronos needs time to regenerate after each fight. He's still not comfortable with his new form. It's taking a lot of his power to slow time around the city."**

"That's a positive," Hazel said lightly.

"Not really," Piper said, "If you think about it, this Kronos guy'd give up his control over the time slow thing before he would give up. That just means that there would be incoming normal people to worry about." Everyone looked taken aback by Piper's logic.

"That was really perceptive, Piper," Annabeth said. Piper shrugged.

"It was obvious."

**Grover nodded. "Most of his forces are more powerful at night, too. But they'll be back after sundown." I tried to think clearly. **

**"Okay. Any word from the gods?" Thalia shook her head.**

**"I know Lady Artemis would be here if she could. Athena, too. But Zeus has ordered them to stay at his side. The last I heard, Typhon was destroying the Ohio River valley. He should reach the Appalachian Mountains by midday."**

"That was descriptive," Harley said, rolling her eyes.

"Huh?" Jax asked.

"The Appalachians cover a rather large plot of land," Harley explained.

"Sorry, I wasn't specific. Let's just say it is nearing New York at a pretty good rate," Thalia said.

"Pretty good?" Leo said, "What does that mean? He's going backwards away from New York? Because that is the only way I think that Typhon should be nearing at a good rate."

Thalia rolled her eyes, "I'm just gonna keep reading."

**"So at best," I said, "we've got another two days before he arrives." **

**Jake Mason cleared his throat. He'd been standing there so silently I'd almost forgotten he was in the room. "Percy, something else," he said. "The way Kronos showed up at the Williamsburg Bridge, like he knew you were going there. And he shifted his forces to our weakest points. As soon as we deployed, he changed tactics. He barely touched the Lincoln Tunnel, where the Hunters were strong. He went for our weakest spots, like he knew."**

**"Like he had inside information," I said. "The spy."**

"I totally forgot about that," Hazel said.

"I wish I could," Annabeth murmured.

**"What spy?" Thalia demanded.**

**I told her about the silver charm Kronos had shown me, the communication device.**

**"That's bad," she said. "Very bad."**

**"It could be anyone," Jake said. "We were all standing there when Percy gave the orders." **

**"But what can we do?" Grover asked. "Frisk every demigod until we find a scythe charm?" They all looked at me, waiting for a decision. I couldn't afford to show how panicked I felt, even if things seemed hopeless. **

**"We keep fighting," I said. "We can't obsess about this spy. If we're suspicious of each other, we'll just tear ourselves apart. You guys were awesome last night. I couldn't ask for a braver army. Let's set up a rotation for the watches. Rest up while you can. We've got a long night ahead of us."**

**The demigods mumbled agreement. They went their separate ways to sleep or eat or repair their weapons. "Percy, you too," Thalia said. "We'll keep an eye on things. Go lie down. We need you in good shape for tonight."**

**I didn't argue too hard. I found the nearest bedroom and crashed on the canopied bed. I thought I was too wired to sleep, but my eyes closed almost immediately.**

"Jax is always sleeping," Gwen said, smiling slightly.

**In my dream, I saw Nico di Angelo alone in the gardens of Hades. He'd just dug a hole in one of Persephone's flower beds, which I didn't figure would make the queen very happy. He poured a goblet of wine into the hole and began to chant. "Let the dead taste again. Let them rise and take this offering. Maria di Angelo, show yourself!"**

"Is that his mom?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah," Jax said.

**White smoke gathered. A human figure formed, but it wasn't Nico's mother. It was a girl with dark hair, olive skin, and the silvery clothes of a Hunter.**

Thalia held back the desire to simply yell out the girl's name. She knew who it was, but Nico would say it soon enough. Looking down at the next word she knew she was right,

**"Bianca," Nico said. "But-" **

_**Don't summon our mother, Nico,**_** she warned. **_**She is the one spirit you are forbidden to see**_**.**

**"Why?" he demanded. "What's our father hiding?"**

_**Pain**_**, Bianca said. **_**Hatred. A curse that stretches back to the Great Prophecy. **_

"What the Hades does that mean?" Leo asked, scratching his head.

"Dunno, dude, sounds kinda strange," Ryan said.

**"What do you mean?" Nico said. "I have to know!"**

_**The knowledge will only hurt you. Remember what I said: holding grudges is a fatal flaw for children of Hades. **_

**"I know that," Nico said. "But I'm not the same as I used to be, Bianca. Stop trying to protect me!" **

_**Brother, you don't understand-**_** Nico swiped his hand through the mist, and Bianca s image dissipated. **

**"Maria di Angelo," he said again. "Speak to me!" A different image formed. It was a scene rather than a single ghost.**

"Pluto found him," Reyna said. She turned to Marcus, "Your dad's a swell guy," she sounded sardonic.

Marcus rolled his eyes, and held back the desire to retort. What would he say? All evidence pointed towards Pluto being a royal… would he be eternally damned for thinking that about his dad?

**In the mist, I saw Nico and Bianca as little children, playing in the lobby of an elegant hotel, chasing each other around marble columns. A woman sat on a nearby sofa. She wore a black dress, gloves, and a black veiled hat like a star from an old 1940s movie. She had Bianca's smile and Nico's eyes. On a chair next to her sat a large oily man in a black pinstripe suit.**

"Lovely," Reyna said distastefully.

"You know, Reyna, it was one thing to talk about Pluto at the beginning, but now it's just not a good idea," Harley said, "I mean Marcus could retaliate easily." Marcus looked at Harley quizzically, and she shrugged.

**With a shock, I realized it was Hades. He was leaning toward the woman, using his hands as he talked, like he was agitated.**

**"Please, my dear," he said. "You must come to the Underworld. I don't care what Persephone thinks! I can keep you safe there."**

Reyna snorted derisively. Pluto had spent multiple years complaining that Proserpina's little (there were multiple names he called her) spent Christmas with them.

**"No, my love." She spoke with an Italian accent. "Raise our children in the land of the dead? I will not do this."**

**"Maria, listen to me. The war in Europe has turned the other gods against me. A prophecy has been made. My children are no longer safe. Poseidon and Zeus have forced me into an agreement. None of us are to have demigod children ever again."**

"But he already had Nico and Bianca," Gwen said, "Why would that be a problem?"

"It's complicated," Jax said.

**"But you already have Nico and Bianca. Surely-"**

**"No! The prophecy warns of a child who turns sixteen. Zeus has decreed that the children I currently have must be turned over to Camp Half-Blood for proper training, but I know what he means. At best they'll be watched, imprisoned, turned against their father. Even more likely, he will not take a chance. He won't allow my demigod children to reach sixteen. He'll find a way to destroy them, and I won't risk that!"**

_Maybe_ _Hades was nicer than Pluto_, Reyna thought; _He might be a nicer guy_.

**"Certamente,"Maria said. "We will stay together. Zeus is un imbecile." **

"Gods, that was a stupid move," Jason said. He sounded slightly irritated at anyone calling his dad an imbecile.

"Maria had guts," Thalia said, but she sounded more admiring than anything else.

**I couldn't help admiring her courage, but Hades glanced nervously at the ceiling. "Maria, please. I told you, Zeus gave me a deadline of last week to turn over the children. His wrath will be horrible, and I cannot hide you forever. As long as you are with the children, you are in danger too." **

**Maria smiled, and again it was creepy how much she looked like her daughter. "You are a god, my love. You will protect us. But I will not take Nico and Bianca to the Underworld." **

**Hades wrung his hands. "Then, there is another option. I know a place in the desert where time stands still. I could send the children there, just for a while, for their own safety, and we could be together. I will build you a golden palace by the Styx."**

Suddenly Jax realized something he had not when he had experienced it. What Hades said sounded eerily like what his mom had told him once. Something about Poseidon promising his mom a palace in the sea to protect her, Jax could not remember exactly.

**Maria di Angelo laughed gently. "You are a kind man, my love. A generous man. The other gods should see you as I do, and they would not fear you so. But Nico and Bianca need their mother. Besides, they are only children. The gods wouldn't really hurt them."**

Jax laughed, and everyone turned to stare at him like he was insane. "Sorry," Jax said, "but when I was thirteen, the gods were discussing whether or not to disintegrate me."

**"You don't know my family," Hades said darkly. "Please, Maria, I can't lose you." She touched his lips with her fingers. **

**"You will not lose me. Wait for me while I get my purse. Watch the children." She kissed the lord of the dead and rose from the sofa. **

"Yuck!" Reyna said, looking disgusted.

"It wasn't pretty," Jax replied.

**Hades watched her walk upstairs as if her every step away caused him pain. A moment later, he tensed. The children stopped playing as if they sensed something too. "No!" Hades said. But even his godly powers were too slow. He only had time to erect a wall of black energy around the children before the hotel exploded.**

**The force was so violent, the entire mist image dissolved. When it came into focus again, I saw Hades kneeling in the ruins, holding the broken form of Maria di Angelo. Fires still burned all around him. Lightning flashed across the sky, and thunder rumbled.**

"Calling Zeus an imbecile was the worst mistake Maria could make," Annabeth said, "It gave away their position."

**Little Nico and Bianca stared at their mother uncomprehendingly. The Fury Alecto appeared behind them, hissing and flapping her leathery wings. The children didn't seem to notice her. "Zeus!" Hades shook his fist at the sky. "I will crush you for this! I will bring her back!" **

**"My lord, you cannot," Alecto warned. "You of all immortals must respect the laws of death." Hades glowed with rage. I thought he would show his true form and vaporize his own children, but at the last moment he seemed to regain control.**

Several people let out a breath that they had not realized they were holding.

**"Take them," he told Alecto, choking back a sob. "Wash their memories clean in the Lethe and bring them to the Lotus Hotel. Zeus will not harm them there."**

**"As you wish, my lord," Alecto said. "And the woman's body?**

**"Take her as well," he said bitterly. "Give her the ancient rites."**

**Alecto, the children, and Maria's body dissolved into shadows,**

"He ordered for his own children's minds to be washed," Hazel said stunned.

"It was the only way to keep them safe, both physically and mentally," Kylie said, "Watching your mom die can scar you for life."

"You sound like you are speaking from experience," Piper alleged. Kylie smirked and shook her head.

"Me? Nah, my mom lives in Tampa," Kylie said.

**leaving Hades alone in the ruins. "I warned you," a new voice said. Hades turned. A girl in a multicolored dress stood by the smoldering remains of the sofa. She had short black hair and sad eyes. She was no more than twelve. I didn't know her, but she looked strangely familiar.**

"Who is it?" Ryan asked immediately.

"Hold onto your winged sandals," Thalia said, "The book'll tell us in a sec."

**"You dare come here?" Hades growled. "I should blast you to dust!"**

**"You cannot," the girl said. "The power of Delphi protects me."**

**With a chill, I realized I was looking at the Oracle of Delphi,**

Several people made astonished faces. "It doesn't sound like Rachel," Leo said questioningly.

"Huh?" Dakota asked, "Why would it sound like Rachel?" Thalia sent Leo a look as sharp as daggers, and Leo gulped.

"No reason, I just always thought the oracle should be a red-head. I think someone toldme once that gingers could tell the future," Leo said. Harley laughed.

"That is most definitely not true," she said.

**back when she was alive and young. Somehow, seeing her like this was even spookier than seeing her as a mummy.**

Leo held back his obvious question. He'd ask Jax tonight.

**"You've killed the woman I loved!" Hades roared. "Your prophecy brought us to this.'" He loomed over the girl, but she didn't flinch. **

**"Zeus ordained the explosion to destroy the children," she said, "because you defied his will. I had nothing to do with it. And I did warn you to hide them sooner."**

"Gods, she has a great bedside manner," Leo quipped, "If she didn't have that whole prophecy thing going, she would have made a great grief counselor."

**"I couldn't! Maria would not let me! Besides, they were innocent."**

**"Nevertheless, they are your children, which makes them dangerous. Even if you put them away in the Lotus Hotel, you only delay the problem. Nico and Bianca will never be able to rejoin the world lest they turn sixteen."**

"**Because of your so-called Great Prophecy. And you have forced me into an oath to have no other children. You have left me with nothing!"**

"So Hades is the only one not to have broken the oath," Joel reasoned.

"Unless you count this bozo over here as legitimate," Dakota said, pointing a thumb at Marcus.

"That was Pluto," Jason said, "There is a definite difference."

**"I foresee the future," the girl said. "I cannot change it." Black fire lit the god's eyes, and I knew something bad was coming. I wanted to yell at the girl to hide or run. **

**"Then, Oracle, hear the words of Hades," he growled. "Perhaps I cannot bring back Maria. Nor can I bring you an early death. But your soul is still mortal, and I can curse you." **

"Hey, has he never heard of 'don't shoot the messenger?'" Ryan asked.

"Apparently not," Annabeth said.

**The girl's eyes widened. "You would not-" **

**"I swear," Hades said, "as long as my children remain outcasts, as long as I labor under the curse of your Great Prophecy, the Oracle of Delphi will never have another mortal host. You will never rest in peace. No other will take your place. Your body will wither and die, and still the Oracle's spirit will be locked inside you. You will speak your bitter prophecies until you crumble to nothing. The Oracle will die with you!"**

"Bu-" Leo stopped himself short.

**The girl screamed, and the misty image was blasted to shreds. Nico fell to his knees in Persephone's garden, his face white with shock. **

**Standing in front of him was the real Hades, towering in his black robes and scowling down at his son. "And just what," he asked Nico, "do you think you're doing?" A black explosion filled my dreams. Then the scene changed.**

"Yay, more demigod dreams," Leo said feebly.

**Rachel Elizabeth Dare was walking along a white sand beach. She wore a swimsuit with a T-shirt wrapped around her waist. Her shoulders and face were sunburned. She knelt and began writing in the surf with her finger. I tried to make out the letters. I thought my dyslexia was acting up until I realized she was writing in Ancient Greek. **

**That was impossible. The dream had to be false. Rachel finished writing a few words and muttered, "What in the world?" I can read Greek, but I only recognized one word before the sea washed it away: Περσεύς. My name: Perseus.**

**Rachel stood abruptly and backed away from the surf. "Oh, gods," she said. "That's what it means." She turned and ran, kicking up sand as she raced back to her family's**

"You need to learn how to read faster," Kylie said in an annoyed voice.

"Oh no, Kylie's ADHD is acting up again, and it is only the first chapter of the day," Ryan said.

"Shut it, Ryan," Kylie said, "You know it's bugging you too."

**villa. She pounded up the porch steps, breathing hard. Her father looked up from his Wall Street Journal**

**"Dad." Rachel marched up to him. "We have to go back."**

**Her dad's mouth twitched, like he was trying to remember how to smile. "Back? We just got here."**

**"There's trouble in New York. Percy's in danger."**

**"Did he call you?"**

"This'll be fun to explain," Harley said.

"How did someone as uptight and boring as Mr. Dare end up with…" Marcus searched for a word to describe Rachel for a moment, but gave up, "well, Rachel?"

"It mostly has to do with influence," Annabeth began, "Nature versus Nurture…"

"I think that was rhetorical," Jax said. Annabeth just rolled her eyes and stopped talking.

**"No . . . not exactly. But I know. It's a feeling." Mr. Dare folded his newspaper. **

**"Your mother and I have been looking forward to this vacation for a long time."**

**"No you haven't! You both hate the beach! You're just too stubborn to admit it."**

"You know, Rachel should be glad she's not a demigod," Kylie said.

"Only Mars would accept that gall," Joel said.

"That is only if you are a worthy warrior," Dakota added.

**"Now, Rachel-"**

**"I'm telling you something is wrong in New York! The whole city . . . I don't know what exactly, but it's under attack." Her father sighed.**

**"I think we would've heard something like that on the news." **

**"No," Rachel insisted. "Not this kind of attack. Have you had any calls since we got here?"**

**Her father frowned. "No . . . but it is the weekend, in the middle of the summer."**

**"You always get calls," Rachel said. "You've got to admit that's strange." **

**Her father hesitated. "We can't just leave. We've spent a lot of money." **

**"Look," Rachel said. "Daddy . . . Percy needs me. I have to deliver a message. It's life or death."**

**"What message? What are you talking about?"**

**"I can't tell you.**

**"Then you can't go."**

"Parents," Reyna said, rolling her eyes, "You think they would know what life or death meant."

**Rachel closed her eyes like she was getting up her courage. "Dad . . . let me go, and I'll make a deal with you." **

**Mr. Dare sat forward. Deals were something he understood. "I'm listening." **

**"Clarion Ladies Academy. I'll-I'll go there in the fall. I won't even complain. But you have to get me back to New York right now." He was silent for a long time. Then he opened his phone and made a call. **

"NO!" Gwen cried, "Not that."

"Rachel doesn't seem to mind," Jason assured the younger girl, "It isn't her favorite place, but it is not that bad."

"You've met her?" Dakota asked.

"Yeah…" Jason began, but stopped himself momentarily, "She came to help find Percy." No one asked anymore about Rachel, but they all sensed that there was more than what Jason was letting on.

**"Douglas? Prep the plane. We're leaving for New York. Yes . . . immediately." Rachel flung her arms around him, and her father seemed surprised, like she'd never hugged him before.**

**"I'll make it up to you, Dad!"**

**He smiled, but his expression was chilly. He studied her like he wasn't seeing his daughter-just the young lady he wanted her to be, once Clarion Academy got through with her.**

"I've seen that look," Kylie said, "but usually it is my mom who gives it."

"My dad doesn't care anything about how I act as long as it is private and away from… well…" Piper trailed off. She did not want to explain who her dad was yet.

**"Yes, Rachel," he agreed. "You most certainly will."**

**The scene faded. I mumbled in my sleep: "Rachel, no!"**

"Are you sure she is okay with Clarion?" Jax asked Jason. Leo answered.

"Yeah, she's loving it," Leo said sarcastically, "Sounds just like her kinda place."

**I was still tossing and turning when Thalia shook me awake.**

**"Percy," she said. "Come on. It's late afternoon. We've got visitors." I sat up, disoriented. The bed was too comfortable, and I hated sleeping in the middle of the day.**

"You don't seem to mind much anymore," Gwen said, smirking.

"Eh, I'm just getting used to it," Jax responded.

**"Visitors?" I said.**

**Thalia nodded grimly. "A Titan wants to see you, under a flag of truce. He has a message from Kronos."**

"I'm sure that'll be a cozy visit," Harley said satirically.

"You're not going to go, right?" Jason asked.

"Do you think I have a more strategic option?" Jax asked.

"No, but I don't see that you have a worse option," Jason said.

"They can't hurt me, but if I do not come they could hurt the others," Jax said, "I might as well hear him out."

"Who wants to read next?" Thalia offered. Piper raised her hand quaveringly. Maybe the wordswould hold more meaning if she read them. Thalia smirked and threw Piper the book. "Enjoy."

* * *

**Has everyone read the first chapter of the real Son Of Neptune? It sounded pretty cool, but I don't like that he knows Annabeth's name already. I wish he just had a small hint about her, like her grey eyes. Okay, that is probably just me. Anyways, I'll post again before the end of the week. Please Review as always!**

**eMMeD :)**

_**Edit: Sorry about this, but I forgot to mention my new fanfic collab with ToaLapaka. It will be up by the end of today. Hey, if you like Bionicle stuff (not exactly my area of expertise) he has two stories about it that I beta for him. Our collab takes place during the Lost Hero timeline and part of a series. Please check it out. It will be on his account. **_


	20. A Titan Brings Me a Present

**A/N: I'll say I am sorry right here and now. I've been on vacation for the last two weeks and have barely been on my computer. Don't worry, I'll update quicker next time. I hope this is okay!**

** Oh, hey and to Dremmeng: I need to reread book four, I completely forgot that. Thanks for reminding me.**

**Disclaimer: I am still not Rick Riordan.**

* * *

Piper flipped to the page, trying to look amiable. Right now she felt anything but. Jason had recovered his memory, but she was still in the dark. Plus, it seemed that the Roman Jason, "the real Jason," was more upright. He seemed to think the gods could do no wrong, that they were always right. Piper's knowledge of mythology said differently.

"Are you there yet?" Leo complained. Piper turned one last page and began to read.

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN A TITAN BRINGS ME A PRESENT **

**We could see the white flag from half a mile away. It was as big as a soccer field, carried by a thirty-foot-tall giant with bright blue skin and icy gray hair**

**"A Hyperborean," Thalia said. "The giants of the north. It's a bad sign that they sided with Kronos. They're usually peaceful."**

"I- um- I thought in ancient times that the North was thought to have been a tropical place," Piper said.

"It was," Annabeth said, "But as our understanding of the North grew, they evolved to fit into our understanding."

"Oh, that makes sense," Piper lied and continued reading before Annabeth could make the evolution of Hyperboreans even more confusing.

**"You've met them?" I said.**

**"Mmm. There's a big colony in Alberta. You do not want to get into a snowball fight with those guys." As the giant got closer, I could see three human-size envoys with him: a half-blood in armor, an empousa demon with a black dress and flaming hair, and a tall man in a tuxedo. The empousa held the tux dude's arm, so they looked like a couple on their way to a Broadway show or something-**

"Hot date," Marcus muttered.

"Hilarious, Marcus," Harley said dryly.

"Sorry, it was what everyone else was thinking," Marcus said, "Right, Ryan?" Ryan nodded, his mouth full of some snack he had brought into the tent this morning.

Kylie smirked, "yes, because Ryan is the person you_ should _ask if you are wondering if your thoughts are normal." Ryan turned to glower at his sister, but Kylie just smirked at him impishly. Children of Mercury are great at impish looks.

**except for her flaming hair and fangs. **

"I've seen weirder things in New York," Jax said, challenging his book-self.

"Uh, Seaweed Brain…" Annabeth started, smirking.

"I know I just contradicted myself," Jax said simply.

"Are all demigods this strange?" Piper asked Jason quietly.

"Yes," Thalia answered. Piper's cheeks turned bright red. "And Hunters of Artemis possess a great sense of hearing."

"Good to know," Piper said before continuing to read.

**The group walked leisurely toward the Heckscher Playground. The swings and ball courts were empty. The only sound was the fountain on Umpire Rock. I looked at Grover. "The tux dude is the Titan?" He nodded nervously.**

**"He looks like a magician. I hate magicians. They usually have rabbits."**

**I stared at him. "You're scared of bunnies?"**

Marcus looked at Jax very seriously. "Leporiphobia is nothing to laugh at."

"It has a name?" Jax asked.

Marcus nodded solemnly before his serious façade broke. He started laughing.

"Yes, Percy, that is what the fear of rabbits is called," Annabeth said.

"How can someone fear rabbits?" Hazel asked. She had a pet one back at her home. "They are so adorable."

"The Stoll brothers have a fear of chocolate ones," Leo supplied.

"Really?" Piper asked.

"Yeah," Leo smirked, "apparently Katie Gardner took one of their pranks badly and threw the bunnies at them."

**"Blah-hah-hah! They're big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenseless satyrs!"**

**Thalia coughed.**

**"What?" Grover demanded.**

**"We'll have to work on your bunny phobia later," I said. "Here they come." The man in the tux stepped forward. He was taller than an average human-about seven feet. His black hair was tied in a ponytail. Dark round glasses covered his eyes, but what really caught my attention was the skin on his face. It was covered in scratches, like he'd been attacked by a small animal-a really, really mad hamster, maybe.**

**"Percy Jackson," he said in a silky voice. "It's a great honor." His lady friend the empousa hissed at me. She'd probably heard how I'd destroyed two of her sisters last summer. "My dear," Tux Dude said to her. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable over there, eh?" She released his arm and drifted over to a park bench. I glanced at the armed demigod behind Tux Dude. I hadn't recognized him in his new helmet, but it was my old backstabbing buddy Ethan Nakamura. **

"That kid is everywhere!" Dakota exclaimed.

"Bet they think the same thing about Jax," Reyna said.

"He is a Big 3 Kid. Nakamura is a minor demigod. Believe me, there is a difference," Dakota said.

**His nose looked like a squashed tomato from our fight on the Williamsburg Bridge. That made me feel better.**

**"Hey, Ethan," I said. "You're looking good."**

**Ethan glared at me.**

**"To business." Tux Dude extended his hand. "I am Prometheus."**

**I was too surprised to shake. "The fire-stealer guy? The chained-to- the-rock-with-the-vultures guy?" **

"I'm sure he loved that comment," Harley said. A snide smile crossed her face.

**Prometheus winced. He touched the scratches on his face. "Please, don't mention the vultures. But yes, I stole fire from the gods and gave it to your ancestors. In return, the ever merciful Zeus had me chained to a rock and tortured for all eternity."**

**"But-"**

**"How did I get free? Hercules did that, eons ago. So you see, I have a soft spot for heroes. Some of you can be quite civilized."**

"Says someone from the more barbaric age," Harley said.

"He was the most civilized and forward-thinking of the Titans," Piper said.

"Actually he is just a smooth-talker," Thalia said, "He foresaw that this would be the best way to gain man's loyalty. Overall, it worked."

**"Unlike the company you keep," I noticed.**

**I was looking at Ethan, but Prometheus apparently thought I meant The empousa. "Oh, demons aren't so bad," he said. "You just have to keep them well fed. Now, Percy Jackson, let us parley." He waved me toward a picnic table and we sat down. Thalia and Grover stood behind me. **

**The blue giant propped his white flag against a tree and began absently playing on the playground. He stepped on the monkey bars and crushed them, but he didn't seem angry. He just frowned and said, "Uh-oh." Then he stepped in the fountain and broke the concrete bowl in half. **

**"Uh-oh." The water froze where his foot touched it. A bunch of stuffed animals hung from his belt-the huge kind you get for grand prizes at an arcade. He reminded me of Tyson, and the idea of fighting him made me sad.**

"Probably just a baby," Hazel said sadly.

**Prometheus sat forward and laced his fingers. He looked earnest, kindly, and wise. "Percy, your position is weak. You know you can't stop another assault."**

**"We'll see."**

**Prometheus looked pained, like he really cared what happened to me. "Percy, I'm the Titan of forethought. I know what's going to happen."**

"Apparently not," Kylie scoffed.

"Now I understand why the Titans were weaker than we expected," Annabeth said, "They were fighting on two fronts."

"Yeah, and from what I've heard, Krios had no idea about the Romans," Jax smirked, holding up his hand for Marcus (who was the closest Roman) to high-five. Marcus high-fived him.

**"Also the Titan of crafty counsel," Grover put in. "Emphasis on crafty."**

**Prometheus shrugged. "True enough, satyr. But I supported the gods in the last war. I told Kronos: 'You don't have the strength. You'll lose.' And I was right. So you see, I know how to pick the winning side. This time, I'm backing Kronos."**

**"Because Zeus chained you to a rock," I guessed. **

"No," Harley said, "I'm sure he is willing to forgive the guy who ordered a giant bird of prey to come and pick out his liver nightly. Prometheus seems like an understanding type of guy." Jason looked ready to make a remark.

"Oh, come on, Jason. You _can't _defend Father's actions here," Thalia said, rolling her eyes.

"It was only a few years after he became king of the gods," Jason said.

"And what about…" Thalia rattled off about ten other examples of Zeus' indiscretions. In the background, thunder could be heard growing louder and louder.

"Thalia, maybe you should shut up about Zeus," Jax suggested, "You know, before my tent catches fire."

"I'd be okay," muttered Leo, but he knew better than to say it loud enough for anyone to hear.

**"Partly, yes. I won't deny I want revenge. But that's not the only reason I'm supporting Kronos. It's the wisest choice. I'm here because I thought you might listen to reason."**

"Prometheus is a great asset," Annabeth said, "His reputation scares the other side. Like if Apollo joined a side. His foresight makes the other side _hopeless_." Annabeth looked at Jax on the last word.

**He drew a map on the table with his finger. Wherever he touched, golden lines appeared, glowing on the concrete. "This is Manhattan. We have armies here, here, here, and here. We know your numbers. We outnumber you twenty to one."**

**"Your spy has been keeping you posted," I guessed.**

**Prometheus smiled apologetically. "At any rate, our forces are growing daily. Tonight, Kronos will attack. You will be overwhelmed. You've fought bravely, but there's just no way you can hold all of Manhattan. You'll be forced to retreat to the Empire State Building. There you'll be destroyed. I have seen this. It will happen."**

**I thought about the picture Rachel had drawn in my dreams-an army at the base of the Empire State Building. I remembered the words of the young girl Oracle in my dream: I foresee the future. I cannot change it. Prometheus spoke with such certainty it was hard not to believe him.**

"Gods, why did I have to be hurt at this point?" Annabeth asked.

"So you could save Jax's life," Gwen reminded her pointedly.

"Oh, yes, you are right," Annabeth said, "I guess it was worth it."

**"I won't let it happen," I said.**

**Prometheus brushed a speck off his tux lapel. "Understand, Percy. You are refighting the Trojan War here. Patterns repeat themselves in history. They reappear just as monsters do. A great siege. Two armies. The only difference is, this time you are defending. You are Troy. And you know what happened to the Trojans, don't you?"**

**"So you're going to cram a wooden horse into the elevator at the Empire State Building?" I asked. "Good luck." Prometheus smiled. **

**"Troy was completely destroyed, Percy. You don't want that to happen here. Stand down, and New York will be spared. Your forces will be granted amnesty. I will personally assure your safety. Let Kronos take Olympus. Who cares? Typhon will destroy the gods."**

**"Right," I said. "And I'm supposed to believe Kronos would spare the city."**

**"All he wants is Olympus," Prometheus promised. "The might of the gods is tied to their seats of power. You saw what happened to Poseidon once his undersea palace was attacked."**

"Low blow," Dakota said.

**I winced, remembering how old and decrepit my father looked. "Yes," Prometheus said sadly. "I know that was hard for you. When Kronos destroys Olympus, the gods will fade. They will become so weak they will be easily defeated. Kronos would rather do this while Typhon has the Olympians distracted in the west. Much easier. Fewer lives lost. But make no mistake, the best you can do is slow us down. The day after tomorrow, Typhon arrives in New York, and you will have no chance at all. The gods and Mount Olympus will still be destroyed, but it will be much messier. Much, much worse for you and your city. Either way, the Titans will rule."**

Kylie smiled again. "Wrong."

**Thalia pounded her fist on the table. "I serve Artemis. The Hunters will fight to our last breath. Percy, you're not seriously going to listen to this slimeball, are you?" I figured Prometheus was going to blast her, but he just smiled. **

"If he had blasted Thalia, Prometheus would lose all bargaining power," Annabeth said, "Best to make her seem like the hot-headed, rash one."

**"Your courage does you credit, Thalia Grace." **

**Thalia stiffened. "That's my mother's surname. I don't use it."**

**"As you wish," Prometheus said casually, but I could tell he'd gotten under her skin. I'd never even heard Thalia's last name before.**

"Why don't you use Grace?" Jason asked.

"Because of who our mom was," Thalia said bitterly. Her voice held a tone that forbid further questions.

**Somehow it made her seem almost normal. Less mysterious and powerful.**

"But I can still kick your butt any day, Jackson," Thalia said.

"But he's invincible," Piper pointed out.

"Nearly," Thalia said devilishly.

**"At any rate," the Titan said, "you need not be my enemy. I have always been a helper of mankind."**

**"That's a load of Minotaur dung," Thalia said. "When mankind first sacrificed to the gods, you tricked them into giving you the best portion. You gave us fire to annoy the gods, not because you cared about us."**

**Prometheus shook his head. "You don't understand. I helped shape your nature." A wiggling lump of clay appeared in his hands. He fashioned it into a little doll with legs and arms. The lump man didn't have any eyes, but it groped around the table, stumbling over Prometheus's fingers.**

**"I have been whispering in man's ear since the beginning of your existence. I represent your curiosity, your sense of exploration, your inventiveness. Help me save you, Percy. Do this, and I will give mankind a new gift-a new revelation that will move you as far forward as fire did. You can't make that kind of advance under the gods. They would never allow it. But this could be a new golden age for you. Or . . ." He made a fist and smashed the clay man into a pancake.**

"Ooh, what a choice," Harley said sarcastically, "Genius or flat."

**The blue giant rumbled, "Uh-oh." Over at the park bench, the empousa bared her fangs in a smile. "Percy, you know the Titans and their offspring are not all bad," Prometheus said. "You've met Calypso." **

**My face felt hot. "That's different." **

"You met her too?" Jason said as Annabeth looked at Jax haughtily. Jax nodded. "Some girl, eh?" Jax nodded, giving Annabeth an apologetic look.

"I want to meet her!" Leo said.

"She'll be anywhere but Ogygia right now," Jax said.

**"How? Much like me, she did nothing wrong, and yet she was exiled forever simply because she was Atlas's daughter. We are not your enemies. Don't let the worst happen," he pleaded. "We offer you peace."**

**I looked at Ethan Nakamura. "You must hate this."**

**"I don't know what you mean."**

**"If we took this deal, you wouldn't get revenge. You wouldn't get to kill us all. Isn't that what you want?" His good eye flared. **

**"All I want is respect, Jackson. The gods never gave me that. You wanted me to go to your stupid camp, spend my time crammed into the Hermes cabin because I'm not important? Not even recognized?"**

"Ouch," Dakota said.

**He sounded just like Luke when he'd tried to kill me in the woods at camp four years ago. The memory made my hand ache where the pit scorpion had stung me.**

Jax felt that secondary pain again.

**"Your mom's the goddess of revenge," I told Ethan. "We should respect that?" **

**"Nemesis stands for balance! When people have too much good luck, she tears them down."**

**"Which is why she took your eye?"**

**"It was payment," he growled. "In exchange, she swore to me that one day I would tip the balance of power. I would bring the minor gods respect. An eye was a small price to pay."**

**"Great mom."**

**"At least she keeps her word, unlike the Olympians. She always pays her debts-good or evil." **

**"Yeah," I said. "So I saved your life, and you repaid me by raising Kronos. That's fair."**

"It equals out," Reyna said, "A good for a bad. Eventually it will balance."

"Karma," Leo said, "cool."

**Ethan grabbed the hilt of his sword, but Prometheus stopped him.**

**"Now, now," the Titan said. "We're on a diplomatic mission." Prometheus studied me as if trying to understand my anger. Then he nodded like he'd just picked a thought from my brain. "It bothers you what happened to Luke," he decided. "Hestia didn't show you the full story. Perhaps if you understood . . ."**

**The Titan reached out.**

"Ah!" Jason cried out in warning.

**Thalia cried a warning, but before I could react, Prometheus's index finger touched my forehead. **

**Suddenly I was back in May Castellan's living room. Candles flickered on the fireplace mantel, reflected in the mirrors along the walls. Through the kitchen doorway I could see Thalia sitting at the table while Ms. Castellan bandaged her wounded leg. Seven-year- old Annabeth sat next to her, playing with a Medusa beanbag toy.**

"You were adorable," Jax whispered into Annabeth's ear.

"Ugh!" Thalia made a face, "What part of 'good sense of hearing' don't you get?"

**Hermes and Luke stood apart in the living room. The god's face looked liquid in the candlelight, like he couldn't decide what shape to adopt. He was dressed in a navy blue jogging outfit with winged Reeboks.**

**"Why show yourself now?" Luke demanded. His shoulders were tense, as if he expected a fight. "All these years I've been calling to you, praying you'd show up, and nothing. You left me with her." He pointed toward the kitchen like he couldn't bear to look at his mother, much less say her name.**

Annabeth grabbed Jax's hand and squeezed. Thalia's teeth were gritted tightly. _Luke, _Thalia's heart gave a dull, miserable thump.

**"Luke, do not dishonor her," Hermes warned. "Your mother did the best she could. As for me, I could not interfere with your path. The children of the gods must find their own way."**

"Who hates that?" Ryan asked. Everyone but Piper raised their hands.

**"So it was for my own good. Growing up on the streets, fending for myself, fighting monsters." **

**"You're my son," Hermes said. "I knew you had the ability. When I was only a baby, I crawled from my cradle and set out for-" **

"I love Dad's birth story," Kylie said.

**"I'm not a god! Just once, you could've said something. You could've helped when"-he took an unsteady breath, lowering his voice so no one in the kitchen could overhear-"when she was having one of her fits, shaking me and saying crazy things about my fate. When I used to hide in the closet so she wouldn't find me with those . . . those glowing eyes. Did you even care that I was scared? Did you even know when I finally ran away?"**

**In the kitchen, Ms. Castellan chattered aimlessly, pouring Kool-Aid for Thalia and Annabeth as she told them stories about Luke as a baby. Thalia rubbed her bandaged leg nervously. Annabeth glanced into the living room and held up a burned cookie for Luke to see.**

**She mouthed, **_**Can we go now?**_

Usually, Jax would have teased Annabeth at this point, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew that now wasn't the time.

**"Luke, I care very much," Hermes said slowly, "but gods must not interfere directly in mortal affairs. It is one of our Ancient Laws. Especially when your destiny . . ." His voice trailed off. He stared at the candles as if remembering something unpleasant.**

"It is quite unpleasant," Piper said. Thalia grimaced, thinking _You don't know the half of it. _

**"What?" Luke asked. "What about my destiny?"**

**"You should not have come back," Hermes muttered. "It only upsets you both. However, I see now that you are getting too old to be on the run without help. I'll speak with Chiron at Camp Half-Blood and ask him to send a satyr to collect you." **

"And then there was goatboy," Thalia said, trying to lighten the mood.

**"We're doing fine without your help," Luke growled. "Now, what were you saying about my destiny?" The wings on Hermes's Reeboks fluttered restlessly. He studied his son like he was trying to memorize his face, and suddenly a cold feeling washed through me. I realized Hermes knew what May Castellan's mutterings meant. I wasn't sure how, but looking at his face I was absolutely certain. Hermes understood what would happen to Luke someday, how he would turn evil.**

**"My son," he said, "I'm the god of travelers, the god of loads. If I know anything, I know that you must walk your own path, even though it tears my heart."**

**"You don't love me."**

"Ooh!" Dakota said, "That's gotta hurt."

**"I promise I . . . I do love you. Go to camp. I will see that you get a quest soon. Perhaps you can defeat the Hydra, or steal the apples of Hesperides. You will get a chance to be a great hero before . . ." **

Thalia's thoughts became indignant. Luke was a great hero.

**"Before what?" Luke's voice was trembling now. "What did my mom see that made her like this? What's going to happen to me? If you love me,tell me."**

**Hermes's expression tightened. "I cannot."**

**"Then you don't care!" Luke yelled.**

**In the kitchen, the talking died abruptly. "Luke?" May Castellan called. "Is that you? Is my boy all right?"**

**Luke turned to hide his face, but I could see the tears in his eyes.**

**"I'm fine. I have a new family. I don't need either of you."**

Annabeth smiled lightly.

**"I'm your father," Hermes insisted.**

**"A father is supposed to be around. I've never even met you. Thalia, Annabeth, come on! We're leaving!"**

**"My boy, don't go!" May Castellan called after him. "I have your lunch ready!" Luke stormed out the door, Thalia and Annabeth scrambling after him. May Castellan tried to follow, but Hermes held her back. As the screen door slammed, May collapsed in Hermes's arms and began to shake. Her eyes opened-glowing green-and she clutched desperately at Hermes's shoulders.**

**"My son," she hissed in a dry voice. "Danger. Terrible fate!"**

**"I know, my love," Hermes said sadly. "Believe me, I know."**

**The image faded. Prometheus pulled his hand away from my forehead.**

**"Percy?" Thalia asked. "What . . . what was that?"**

**I realized I was clammy with sweat.**

**Prometheus nodded sympathetically. "Appalling, isn't it? The gods know what is to come, and yet they do nothing, even for their children. How long did it take for them to tell you your prophecy, Percy Jackson? Don't you think your father knows what will happen to you?"**

"You know, personally I feel more sorry for Dad in that whole situation," Ryan said.

"Agreed," Kylie said.

"How?" Piper asked, "They know what is going to happen and do nothing to help!"

"The Fates would just weave around whatever they do. Life is the way life is… we can't change it. We can't control others," Jason said, "The gods know this very well."

**I was too stunned to answer. "Perrrcy," Grover warned, "he's playing with your mind. Trying to make you angry." Grover could read emotions, so he probably knew Prometheus was succeeding. **

**"Do you really blame your friend Luke?" the Titan asked me. "And what about you, Percy? Will you be controlled by your fate? Kronos offers you a much better deal."**

**I clenched my fists. As much as I hated what Prometheus had shown me, I hated Kronos a lot more. "I'll give you a deal. Tell Kronos to call off his attack, leave Luke Castellan's body, and return to the pits of Tartarus. Then maybe I won't have to destroy him," The empousa snarled. Her hair erupted in fresh flames, but Prometheus just sighed.**

**"If you change your mind," he said, "I have a gift for you."**

**A Greek vase appeared on the table. It was about three feet high and a foot wide, glazed with black-and-white geometric designs. The ceramic lid was fastened with a leather harness.**

**Grover whimpered when he saw it.**

**Thalia gasped. "That's not-"**

**"Yes," Prometheus said. "You recognize it."**

**Looking at the jar, I felt a strange sense of fear, but I had no idea why. "This belonged to my sister-in-law," Prometheus explained. "Pandora." A lump formed in my throat. **

**"As in Pandora's box?" **

"And here is their Trojan Horse," Annabeth said.

**Prometheus shook his head. "I don't know how this box business got started. It was never a box. It was a pithos, a storage jar. I suppose Pandora's pithos doesn't have the same ring to it, but never mind that. Yes, she did open this jar, which contained most of the demons that now haunt mankind-fear, death, hunger, sickness."**

**"Don't forget me," the empousa purred. **

**"Indeed," Prometheus conceded. "The first empousa was also trapped in this jar, released by Pandora. But what I find curious about the story-Pandora always gets the blame. She is punished for being curious. **

"Curiosity killed the cat," Harley provided.

**The gods would have you believe that this is the lesson: mankind should not explore. They should not ask questions. They should do what they are told. In truth, Percy, this jar was a trap designed by Zeus and the other gods. It was revenge on me and my entire family-my poor simple brother Epimetheus and his wife Pandora. The gods knew she would open the jar. They were willing to punish the entire race of humanity along with us."**

**I thought about my dream of Hades and Maria di Angelo. Zeus had destroyed an entire hotel to eliminate two demigod children-just to save his own skin, because he was scared of a prophecy. He'd killed an innocent woman and probably hadn't lost any sleep over it. Hades was no better. He wasn't powerful enough to take his revenge on Zeus, so he cursed the Oracle, dooming a young girl to a horrible fate. And Hermes . . . why had he abandoned Luke? Why hadn't he at least warned Luke, or tried to raise him better so he wouldn't turn evil?**

"You can't avoid fate," Joel muttered.

**Maybe Prometheus was toying with my mind. But what if he's right? Part of me wondered. How are the gods any better than the Titans? Prometheus tapped the lid of Pandora's jar. "Only one spirit remained inside when Pandora opened it."**

**"Hope," I said.**

**Prometheus looked pleased. "Very good, Percy. Elpis, the Spirit of Hope, would not abandon humanity. Hope does not leave without being given permission. She can only be released by a child of man."**

**The Titan slid the jar across the table.**

**"I give you this as a reminder of what the gods are like," he said. "Keep Elpis, if you wish. But if you decide that you have seen enough destruction, enough futile suffering, then open the jar. Let Elpis go. Give up Hope, and I will know that you are surrendering. I promise Kronos will be lenient. He will spare the survivors." **

**I stared at the jar and got a very bad feeling. I figured Pandora had been completely ADHD, like me. I could never leave things alone. I didn't like temptation.**

**What if this was my choice? Maybe the prophecy all came down to my keeping this jar closed or opening it.**

"How anticlimactic," Harley said.

**"I don't want the thing," I growled. **

**"Too late," Prometheus said. "The gift is given. It cannot be taken back." He stood.**

"What is that? The Titan version of 'No Give-backs?'" Leo asked, "For all powerful beings, they're kinda immature."

"And the gods aren't?" Reyna asked.

"Touché," Leo said.

**The empousa came forward and slipped her arm through his. "Morrain!" Prometheus called to the blue giant. "We are leaving. Get your flag."**

**"Uh-oh," the giant said.**

**"We will see you soon, Percy Jackson," Prometheus promised. "One way or another."**

"Dun-dun-DUN!" Ryan said dramatically.

**Ethan Nakamura gave me one last hateful look. Then the truce party turned and strolled up the lane through Central Park, like it was just a regular sunny Sunday afternoon.**

"That's the end of the chapter," Piper said.

* * *

**Yep, quick ending. I'm sorry this took so long. And now it is time for shameless self-promotion. Please check out the fic I am co-writing with ToaLapaka. My chapter will be up in three days. Please read and review!**

**eMMeD :)**


	21. Pigs Fly

**Oh gosh, I am so sorry this took so long, and I really have little other excuse than busy. I just started my junior year, and now I have a study hall, which will probably become writing time. So here is the next chapter.**

* * *

"Is it okay if I…" Jason began, holding out his hand towards the book in Piper's lap.

"Here," Piper said, smirking slightly. Jason opened the book to the next chapter.

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN PIGS FLY**

"Does anyone else's mom owe them a pony?" Ryan asked.

"What?" Reyna asked.

"You know, you ask an adult for something, and they say… gods, it's not funny if I have to explain it!" Ryan said.

"Don't worry, Ryan. It wasn't that funny to begin with," Kylie said in a faux-consoling voice.

**Back at the Plaza, Thalia pulled me aside. "What did Prometheus show you?" Reluctantly, I told her about the vision of May Castellan's house. Thalia rubbed her thigh like she was remembering the old wound. **

Thalia was doing the same thing in the tent.

**"That was a bad night," she admitted. "Annabeth was so little, I don't think she really understood what she saw. She just knew Luke was upset." I looked out the hotel windows at Central Park. Small fires were still burning in the north, but otherwise the city seemed unnaturally peaceful.**

**eMMeD :)**

**"Do you know what happened to May Castellan? I mean-" **

**"I know what you mean," Thalia said. "I never saw her have an, um, episode, but Luke told me about the glowing eyes, the strange things she would say. He made me promise never to tell. What caused it, I have no idea. If Luke knew, he never told me."**

**"Hermes knew," I said. "Something caused May to see parts of Luke's future, and Hermes understood what would happen-how Luke would turn into Kronos." Thalia frowned. **

**"You can't be sure of that. Remember Prometheus was manipulating what you saw, Percy, showing you what happened in the worst possible light. Hermes did love Luke. I could tell just by looking at his face. And Hermes was there that night because he was checking up on May, taking care of her. He wasn't all bad."**

"Still jealous that he never checked in on my mom," Kylie said.

"If he did that with every one of his children's moms, he'd never have time to deliver messages or spirits to the underworld," Marcus said.

"Your dad wouldn't be happy about that," Harley said.

**"It's still not right," I insisted. "Luke was just a little kid. Hermes never helped him, never stopped him from running away." Thalia shouldered her bow. Again it struck me how much stronger she looked now that she'd stopped aging. You could almost see a silvery glow around her-the blessing of Artemis. **

"Wow, I can see it," Gwen noted admirably. She had not noticed it earlier, but the glow was definitely there. "That's cool!"

**"Percy," she said, "you can't start feeling sorry for Luke. We all have tough things to deal with. All demigods do. Our parents are hardly ever around. But Luke made bad choices. Nobody forced him to do that. In fact-" She glanced down the hall to make sure we were alone. "I'm worried about Annabeth. If she has to face Luke in battle, I don't know if she can do it. She's always had a soft spot for him."**

Annabeth snorted derisively. "_I've _always had a soft spot for Luke." Thalia turned red, and Jason turned to look over at his sister.

"What?" he asked.

"We were like a family. _The three of us_," Thalia said in a final tone that told Annabeth not to speak another word. Jason gave Thalia a 'we'll-talk-later' look. Thalia rolled her eyes.

**Blood rose to my face. "She'll do fine." **

"You are hot when you are jealous," Annabeth whispered into Percy's **(A/N: I'm going to refer to him as both Jax and Percy now) **Thalia screwed up her face and stuck out her tongue, making a retching noise.

"Ugh! I officially hate my hearing!" Thalia said disgustedly. Annabeth blushed slightly.

**"I don't know. After that night, after we left his mom's house? Luke was never the same. He got reckless and moody, like he had something to prove. By the time Grover found us and tried to get us to camp . . . well, part of the reason we had so much trouble was because Luke wouldn't be careful. He wanted to pick a fight with every monster we crossed. Annabeth didn't see that as a problem. Luke was her hero. She only understood that his parents had made him sad, and she got very defensive of him. **

By this point Annabeth was giving Thalia the evil eye.

"I was being protective!" Thalia said defensively.

**She still is defensive. All I'm saying . . . don't you fall into the same trap. Luke has given himself to Kronos now. We can't afford to be soft on him."**

**I looked out at the fires in Harlem, wondering how many sleeping mortals were in danger right now because of Luke's bad choices. "You're right," I said. **

**Thalia patted my shoulder. "I'm going to check on the Hunters, then get some more sleep before nightfall. You should crash too."**

**"The last thing I need is more dreams."**

"Has anyone had any dreams since we started reading these books?" Jax asked suddenly, realizing he had not. Everyone shook their heads or in some showed that they had not either.

"I bet you've jinxed it now, Jax," Harley said.

"Yeah, we're probably all going to have nightmares tonight," Kylie added.

"Joy," Leo said. He had never been that daunted by nightmares, but he did not like the ones he did get, and now he knew that what he saw in his dreams was real.

**"I know, believe me." Her dark expression made me wonder what she'd been dreaming about. It was a common demigod problem: the more dangerous our situation became, the worse and more frequent our dreams got. "But Percy, there's no telling when you'll get another chance for rest. It's going to be a long night-maybe our last night."**

"Way to raise his spirits, Thalia," Marcus said.

"Yes, well raising Fish Head's spirits is Annabeth's job.

**I didn't like it, but I knew she was right. I nodded wearily and gave her Pandora's jar. "**

**Do me a favor. Lock this in the hotel vault, will you? I think I'm allergic to pithos." **

"That won't work," Harley said simply.

"Why?" Leo asked, his curiosity piqued.

"You'll see," Harley said deviously.

**Thalia smiled. "You got it." I found the nearest bed and passed out. But of course sleep only brought more nightmares.**

"Fu_nnn_," Hazel said.

**I saw the undersea palace of my father. The enemy army was closer now, entrenched only a few hundred yards outside the palace. The fortress walls were completely destroyed. The temple my dad had used as his headquarters was burning with Greek fire. I zoomed in on the armory, where my brother and some other Cyclopes were on lunch break, eating from huge jars of Skippy extra-chunky peanut butter (and don't ask me how it tasted underwater, because I don't want to know). **

"How'd it taste underwater?" Ryan asked. No one bothered to answer.

**As I watched, the outer wall of the armory exploded. A Cyclops warrior stumbled inside, collapsing on the lunch table. Tyson knelt down to help, but it was too late. The Cyclops dissolved into sea silt. Enemy giants moved toward the breach, and Tyson picked up the fallen warrior's club. He yelled something to his fellow blacksmiths probably "For Poseidon!"-but with his mouth full of peanut butter it sounded like "PUH PTEH BUN!" His brethren all grabbed hammers and chisels, yelled, "PEANUT BUTTER!" and charged behind Tyson into battle.**

"I asked Tyson about it later," Percy said, nearly laughing, "It really was Peanut Butter."

**Then the scene shifted. I was with Ethan Nakamura at the enemy camp. What I saw made me shiver, partly because the army was so huge, partly because I recognized the place. We were in the backwoods of New Jersey, on a crumbling road lined with run-down businesses and tattered billboard signs. A trampled fence ringed a big yard full of cement statuary. The sign above the warehouse was hard to read because it was in red cursive, but I knew what it said: AUNTY EM'S GARDEN GNOME EMPORIUM. **

Annabeth shivered.

"Sounds like a fun place," Reyna said, "Why do you know it, or better yet what monster lives there?"

"Medusa," Jax said. Thalia nearly laughed.

"I'm sure that was fun," Thalia said, "You and Annabeth in the presence of a monster that hates Athena but loves Poseidon…"

"Yeah, It was a barrel of laughs," Percy said, though he knew that this encounter had helped strengthen his mom. Medusa also got rid of Gabe… so he couldn't complain too much.

**I hadn't thought about the place in years. It was clearly abandoned. The statues were broken and spray-painted with graffiti. A cement satyr-Grover's Uncle Ferdinand-had lost his arm. Part of the warehouse roof had caved in. A big yellow sign pasted on the door read: CONDEMNED. Hundreds of tents and fires surrounded the property.**

**Mostly I saw monsters, but there were some human mercenaries in combat fatigues and demigods in armor, too. A purple-and-black banner hung outside the emporium, guarded by two huge blue Hyperboreans. Ethan was crouched at the nearest campfire. A couple of other demigods sat with him, sharpening their swords. The doors of the warehouse opened, and Prometheus stepped out. "Nakamura," he called. "The master would like to speak to you."**

**Ethan stood up warily. "Something wrong?"**

**Prometheus smiled. "You'll have to ask him." **

**One of the other demigods snickered. "Nice knowing you." **

"Ugh, I almost feel sorry for the jerk," Kylie said.

"Really?" Joel asked, speaking for the first time in a while, "I don't. He made his own bed."

"I said almost."

**Ethan readjusted his sword belt and headed into the warehouse. Except for the hole in the roof, the place was just as I remembered. Statues of terrified people stood frozen in midscream. In the snack bar area, the picnic tables had been moved aside. Right between the soda dispenser and pretzel warmer stood a golden throne. Kronos lounged on it, his scythe across his lap. He wore jeans and a T-shirt, and with his brooding expression he looked almost human-like the younger version of Luke I'd seen in the vision, pleading with Hermes to tell him his fate. Then Luke saw Ethan, and his face contorted into a very inhuman smile. **

**His golden eyes glowed. "Well, Nakamura. What did you think of the diplomatic mission?" Ethan hesitated.**

"Why is Kronos asking him and not Prometheus?" asked Marcus, puzzled.

"Maybe he cares about demigods," Gwen offered.

"Yes and maybe tomorrow it will rain chocolate milk," Harley replied, "There is something else behind this."

Annabeth looked at Percy and grimaced. She knew that Luke was still fighting off Kronos. He was doing it painfully.

"You know," Leo began, "I'm beginning to dislike those secretive looks Annabeth gives people."

"Beginning?" Percy and Jason questioned.

"I don't do them _that _often," Annabeth said.

"Yeah, you do," Jax replied, lounging back in his seat. He smirked at her, "It's almost like you can read minds."

"Eh, anyone can read your mind, Percy," Thalia said, "There isn't much to it."

**"I'm sure Lord Prometheus is better suited to speak-" **

**"But I asked you." Ethan's good eye darted back and forth, noting the guards that stood around Kronos.**

**"I . . . I don't think Jackson will surrender. Ever." **

**Kronos nodded. "Anything else you wanted to tell me?"**

**"N-no, sir."**

**"You look nervous, Ethan." **

**"No, sir. It's just . . . I heard this was the lair of -" **

**"Medusa? Yes, quite true. Lovely place, eh? Unfortunately, Medusa hasn't re-formed since Jackson killed her, so you needn't worry about joining her collection. Besides, there are much more dangerous forces in this room." **

"Medusa was a piece of cake," Percy boasted.

"Yeah, sure, Seaweed Brain, after we knocked you out of her spell," Annabeth said, "Face it. If it wasn't for Grover and me, you would have died years ago."

"Yes, and without me, neither of you two would be alive," Percy said.

**Kronos looked over at a Laistrygonian giant who was munching noisily on some french fries. Kronos waved his hand and the giant froze. A french fry hung suspended in midair halfway between his hand and his mouth. "Why turn them to stone," Kronos asked, "when you can freeze time itself?" His golden eyes bored into Ethan's face. "Now, tell me one more thing. What happened last night on the Williamsburg Bridge?"**

**Ethan trembled. Beads of perspiration were popping up on his forehead. "I . . . I don't know, sir." **

**"Yes, you do." Kronos rose from his seat. "When you attacked Jackson, something happened. Something was not quite right. The girl, Annabeth, jumped in your way." **

**"She wanted to save him." **

**"But he is invulnerable," Kronos said quietly. "You saw that yourself." **

**"I can't explain it. Maybe she forgot."**

**"She forgot," Kronos said. "Yes, that must've been it. Oh dear, I forgot my friend is invulnerable and took a knife for him. Oops. Tell me, Ethan, where were you aiming when you stabbed at Jackson?"**

"Well, honestly, it had just happened," Hazel said, "She may have forgotten in the heat of things." Piper stared at Hazel, "What?"

"I may not remember Annabeth, but even I know that Annabeth wouldn't forget something like that," Piper said. Annabeth decided it was best to keep her mouth shut, because she was not sure why she had jumped in front of the knife.

**Ethan frowned. He clasped his hand as if he were holding a blade, and mimed a thrust. "I'm not sure, sir. It all happened so fast. I wasn't aiming for any spot in particular.'' Kronos's fingers tapped the blade of his scythe. **

**"I see," he said in a chilly tone. "If your memory improves, I will expect-" Suddenly the Titan lord winced. The giant in the corner unfroze and the french fry fell into his mouth. Kronos stumbled backward and sank into his throne.**

"Luke's still fighting," Thalia murmured hopefully. Annabeth leaned over and put a hand on Thalia's shoulder.

**"My lord?" Ethan started forward. **

**"I-" The voice was weak, but just for a moment it was Luke's. Then Kronos's expression hardened. He raised his hand and flexed his fingers slowly as if forcing them to obey. "It is nothing," he said, his voice steely and cold again. "A minor discomfort."**

**Ethan moistened his lips. "He's still fighting you, isn't he? Luke-" **

**"Nonsense," Kronos spat. "Repeat that lie, and I will cut out your tongue. The boy's soul has been crushed. I am simply adjusting to the limits of this form. It requires rest. It is annoying, but no more than a temporary inconvenience." **

**"As . . . as you say, my lord." **

**"You!" Kronos pointed his scythe at a dracaena with green armor and a green crown. "Queen Sess, is it?" **

**"Yesssss, my lord." **

**"Is our little surprise ready to be unleashed?"**

**The dracaena queen bared her fangs. "Oh, yessss, my lord. Quite a lovely sssssurprissse." **

**"Excellent," Kronos said. **

"That is most definitely not excellent," Harley said.

"It's not another pithos, is it?" Gwen asked.

"No, it's not a pithos," Percy said darkly.

"I guess it's badder then," Gwen said. Jax didn't reply.

**"Tell my brother Hyperion to move our main force south into Central Park. The half-bloods will be in such disarray they will not be able to defend themselves. Go now, Ethan. Work on improving your memory. We will talk again when we have taken Manhattan."**

"Wouldn't wanna be in Nakamura's shoes," Dakota said with a shudder.

"Yeah," agreed Marcus.

**Ethan bowed, and my dreams shifted one last time. I saw the Big House at camp, but it was a different era. The house was painted red instead of blue. The campers down at the volleyball pit had early '90s hairstyles, which were probably good for keeping monsters away. Chiron stood by the porch, talking to Hermes and a woman holding a baby. Chiron's hair was shorter and darker. Hermes wore his usual jogging suit with his winged high-tops. The woman was tall and pretty. She had blond hair, shining eyes and a friendly smile. The baby in her arms squirmed in his blue blanket like Camp Half-Blood was the last place he wanted to be. **

"Even then," Thalia whispered. She'd already guessed who these people were.

**"It's an honor to have you here," Chiron told the woman, though he sounded nervous. "It's been a long time since a mortal was allowed at camp." **

**"Don't encourage her," Hermes grumbled. "May, you can't do this."**

**With a shock, I realized I was seeing May Castellan. She looked nothing like the old woman I'd met. She seemed full of life-the kind of person who could smile and make everyone around her feel good. **

"As opposed to completely creeping them out?" Ryan guessed.

"I'd definitely say that the friendly, normal human-being thing is an improvement," Kylie said.

**"Oh, don't worry so much," May said, rocking the baby. "You need an Oracle, don't you? The old one's been dead for, what, twenty years?"**

**"Longer," Chiron said gravely. **

"Uck," Hazel said, "That is disgusting!"

**Hermes raised his arms in exasperation. "I didn't tell you that story so you could apply. It's dangerous. Chiron, tell her."**

**"It is," Chiron warned. "For many years, I have forbidden anyone from trying. We don't know exactly what's happened. Humanity seems to have lost the ability to host the Oracle."**

"Wait, isn't the Oracle supposed to be an eternal virgin, like the Hunters," Piper asked.

"Yeah," Thalia affirmed.

"So how would this work then?" Piper asked, "I mean she has a kid!"

"It doesn't work," Annabeth answered simply.

**"We've been through that," May said. "And I know I can do it. Hermes, this is my chance to do something good. I've been given the gift of sight for a reason." I wanted to yell at May Castellan to stop. I knew what was about to happen. I finally understood how her life had been destroyed. But I couldn't move or speak.**

**Hermes looked more hurt than worried. "You couldn't marry if you became the Oracle," he complained. "You couldn't see me anymore."**

"I wonder if he was planning to make May his immortal wife," Reyna thought aloud.

"He seems to like her a lot," Kylie said. Her voice was tight, and everyone could tell what she was wishing. It was something all demigods wished at some point or another: _What if my parents were together._

**May put her hand on his arm. "I can't have you forever, can I? You'll move on soon. You're immortal." He started to protest, but she put her hand on his chest. "You know it's true! Don't try to spare my feelings. Besides, we have a wonderful child. I can still raise Luke if I'm the Oracle, right?" **

**Chiron coughed. "Yes, but in all fairness, I don't know how that will affect the spirit of the Oracle. A woman who has already borne a child-as far as I know, this has never been done before. If the spirit does not take-" **

**"It will," May insisted. **

**No, I wanted to shout. It won't.**

**May Castellan kissed her baby and handed the bundle to Hermes. "I'll be right back." She gave them one last confident smile and climbed the steps. Chiron and Hermes paced in silence. The baby squirmed. A green glow lit the windows of the house. The campers stopped playing volleyball and stared up at the attic. A cold wind rushed through the strawberry fields. Hermes must've felt it too.**

**He cried, "No! NO!" He shoved the baby into Chiron's arms and ran for the porch. Before he reached the door, the sunny afternoon was shattered by May Castellan's terrified scream.**

A collective shiver ran through the room. Thalia glared at Marcus for a moment, but then stopped. It wasn't even his dad's fault. It was Hades'.

**I got up so fast I banged my head on somebody's shield. "Ow!"**

**"Sorry, Percy." Annabeth was standing over me. "I was just about to wake you."**

"Wait, that didn't hurt you," Annabeth said.

"Well, it jolted me," Percy responded.

**I rubbed my head, trying to clear the disturbing visions. Suddenly a lot of things made sense to me: May Castellan had tried to become the Oracle. She hadn't known about Hades's curse preventing the spirit of Delphi from taking another host. Neither had Chiron or Hermes. They hadn't realized that by trying to take the job, May would be driven mad, plagued with fits in which her eyes would glow green and she would have shattered glimpses of her child's future. **

**"Percy?" Annabeth asked. "What's wrong?"**

**"Nothing," I lied. "What . . . what are you doing in armor? You should be resting."**

"You are a horrible liar," Gwen said to her brother dissaprovingly.

"I agree, Gwen," Annabeth said.

**"Oh, I'm fine," she said, though she still looked pale. She was barely moving her right arm. "That nectar and ambrosia fixed me up."**

**"Uh-huh. You can't seriously go out and fight." She offered me her good hand and helped me up. My head was pounding. Outside, the sky was purple and red. **

**"You're going to need every person you have," she said. "I just looked in my shield. There's an army-"**

**"Heading south into Central Park," I said. "Yeah, I know." I told her part of my dreams. I left out the vision of May Castellan, because it was too disturbing to talk about. I also left out Ethan's speculation about Luke fighting Kronos inside his body. I didn't want to get Annabeth's hopes up.**

"Thanks there, Seaweed Brain, I'm so glad you have confidence in me," Annabeth said sardonically.

"It's not that I didn't have confidence…." Annabeth sent Percy a skeptical look, and he fell silent.

**"Do you think Ethan suspects about your weak spot?" she asked. **

**"I don't know," I admitted. "He didn't tell Kronos anything, but if he figures it out-"**

**"We can't let him."**

**"I'll bonk him on the head harder next time," I suggested. "Any idea what surprise Kronos was talking about?" She shook her head.**

**"I didn't see anything in the shield, but I don't like surprises." **

**"Agreed."**

**"So," she said, "are you going to argue about me coming along?" **

**"Nah. You'd just beat me up." **

"No, she wouldn't of," Ryan said. Thalia cut in.

"Annabeth knows Percy's weak spot and knows how to exploit it," Thalia said.

"Not that I would," Annabeth added.

**She managed a laugh, which was good to hear. I grabbed my sword, and we went to rally the troops. Thalia and the head counselors were waiting for us at the Reservoir. The lights of the city were blinking on at twilight. I guess a lot of them were on automatic timers. Streetlamps glowed around the shore of the lake, making the water and trees look even spookier. **

**"They're coming," Thalia confirmed, pointing north with a silver arrow. "One of my scouts just reported they've crossed the Harlem River. There was no way to hold them back. The army . . ." She shrugged. "It's huge."**

**"We'll hold them at the park," I said. "Grover, you ready?" **

**He nodded. "As ready as we'll ever be. If my nature spirits can stop them anywhere, this is the place." **

**"Yes, we will!" said another voice. A very old, fat satyr pushed through the crowd, stumbling over his own spear. **

"There's a sign of hope if I ever saw one," Marcus said smirking

"Incredibly threatening," Harley added.

**He was dressed in wood-bark armor that only covered half of his belly. **

**"Leneus?" I said. **

**"Don't act so surprised," he huffed. "I am a leader of the Council, and you did tell me to find Grover. Well, I found him, and I'm not going to let a mere outcast lead the satyrs without my help!" Behind Leneus's back, Grover made gagging motions, but the old satyr grinned like he was the savior of the day. "Never fear! We'll show those Titans!"**

**I didn't know whether to laugh or be angry, but I managed to keep a straight face. "Um . . . yeah. Well, Grover, you won't be alone. Annabeth and the Athena cabin will make their stand here. And me, and . . . Thalia?" She patted me on the shoulder. **

**"Say no more. The Hunters are ready." I looked at the other counselors. **

**"That leaves the rest of you with a job just as important. You have to guard the other entrances to Manhattan. You know how tricky Kronos is. He'll hope to distract us with this big army and sneak another force in somewhere else. It's up to you to make sure that doesn't happen. Has each cabin chosen a bridge or tunnel?" The counselors nodded grimly. "Then let's do it," I said. "Good hunting, everybody!"**

**We heard the army before we saw it. The noise was like a cannon barrage combined with a football stadium crowd-like every Patriots fan in New England was charging us with bazookas. At the north end of the reservoir, the enemy vanguard broke through the woods-a warrior in golden armor leading a battalion of Laistrygonian giants with huge bronze axes. Hundreds of other monsters poured out behind them. **

**"Positions!" Annabeth yelled. Her cabinmates scrambled. The idea was to make the enemy army break around the reservoir. To get to us, they'd have to follow the trails, which meant they'd be marching in narrow columns on either side of the water. At first, the plan seemed to work. The enemy divided and streamed toward us along the shore. When they were halfway across, our defenses kicked in.**

**The jogging trail erupted in Greek fire, incinerating many of the monsters instantly. Others flailed around, engulfed in green flames. Athena campers threw grappling hooks around the largest giants and pulled them to the ground. In the woods on the right, the Hunters sent a volley of silver arrows into the enemy line, destroying twenty or thirty dracaenae, but more marched behind them. A bolt of lightning crackled out of the sky and fried a Laistrygonian giant to ashes, and I knew Thalia must be doing her daughter of Zeus thing.**

"Daughter of Zeus thing?" Thalia asked, nearly laughing.

"Well anyone have a better name for it?" Percy challenged. No one replied, but Leo seemed to be trying to think something up. Jason cut them all off and continued reading.

**Grover raised his pipes and played a quick tune. A roar went up from the woods on both sides as every tree, rock, and bush seemed to sprout a spirit. Dryads and satyrs raised their clubs and charged. The trees wrapped around the monsters, strangling them. Grass grew around the feet of the enemy archers. Stones flew up and hit dracaenae in the faces. The enemy slogged forward. Giants smashed through the trees, and naiads faded as their life sources were destroyed. **

Marcus made a face. He hated watching Nature Spirits die.

**Hellhounds lunged at the timber wolves, knocking them aside. Enemy archers returned fire, and a Hunter fell from a high branch. **

Thalia groaned. That was probably Haley or Marina, both Huntresses who had died during this battle.

**"Percy!" Annabeth grabbed my arm and pointed at the reservoir. The Titan in the gold armor wasn't waiting for his forces to advance around the sides. He was charging toward us, walking straight over the top of the lake.**

"Aw, he stole Jax's trick," Ryan said.

**A Greek firebomb exploded right on top of him, but he raised his palm and sucked the flames out of the air. "Hyperion," Annabeth said in awe. "The lord of light. Titan of the east." **

**"Bad?" I guessed.**

**"Next to Atlas, he's the greatest Titan warrior. In the old days, four Titans controlled the four corners of the world. Hyperion was the east-the most powerful. He was the father of Helios, the first sun god." **

"So that means bad then," Dakota affirmed.

**"I'll keep him busy," I promised. **

**"Percy, even you can't-" **

**"Just keep our forces together." We'd set up at the reservoir for good reason. I concentrated on the water and felt its power surging through me. I advanced toward Hyperion, running over the top of the water. Yeah, buddy. Two can play that game. **

"Seriously, it isn't that funny," Percy said indignantly. Everyone in the room was laughing like crazy.

**Twenty feet away, Hyperion raised his sword. His eyes were just like I'd seen in my dream-as gold as Kronos's but brighter, like miniature suns. **

**"The sea god's brat," he mused. "You're the one who trapped Atlas beneath the sky again?"**

**"It wasn't hard," I said. "You Titans are about as bright as my gym socks." **

"Brilliant, lets mock the Titan of Light about _brightness!_" Harley said, shaking her head.

**Hyperion snarled. "You want bright?" His body ignited in a column of light and heat. I looked away, but I was still blinded. Instinctively I raised Riptide-just in time. Hyperion's blade slammed against mine. The shock wave sent a ten-foot ring of water across the surface of the lake. My eyes still burned. I had to shut off his light. I concentrated on the tidal wave and forced it to reverse. Just before impact, I jumped upward on a jet of water. **

**"AHHHHH!" The waves smashed into Hyperion and he went under, his light extinguished. I landed on the lake's surface just as Hyperion struggled to his feet. His golden armor was dripping wet. His eyes no longer blazed, but they still looked murderous. "You will burn, Jackson!" he roared. Our swords met again and the air charged with ozone. The battle still raged around us. On the right flank, Annabeth was leading an assault with her siblings. On the left flank, Grover and his nature spirits were regrouping, entangling the enemies with bushes and weeds.**

"This is probably was really weird for mortals," Leo said.

"They are all asleep," Reyna reminded Leo.

"Fine, then for all the demigods who didn't know they were demigods," Leo amended.

"Our physiology mocks humans when we don't know we are demigods, with the exception of a few random bursts of power," Annabeth said. Everyone stared blankly at her. Annabeth rolled her eyes, "You know how before we are told that we are demigods our smell isn't there as much, well the same goes for our abilities. They are hidden by our ignorance," more blank stares, "Just take my word for it, the demigods are asleep too."

**"Enough games," Hyperion told me. "We fight on land." I was about to make some clever comment, like "No," when the Titan yelled. **

"Clever," Dakota said, "I always find 'No' to be a good way to refuse."

**A wall of force slammed me through the air-just like the trick Kronos had pulled on the bridge. I sailed backward about three hundred yards and smashed into the ground. If it hadn't been for my new invulnerability, I would've broken every bone in my body. I got to my feet, groaning. **

**"I really hate it when you Titans do that." Hyperion closed on me with blinding speed. I concentrated on the water, drawing strength from it. Hyperion attacked. He was powerful and fast, but he couldn't seem to land a blow. The ground around his feet kept erupting in flames, but I kept dousing it just as quickly.**

**"Stop it!" the Titan roared. "Stop that wind!"**

"What wind?" Marcus asked. Joel had a slight smile on his face. Jax was creating his own low pressure system.

**I wasn't sure what he meant. I was too busy fighting. Hyperion stumbled like he was being pushed away. Water sprayed his face, stinging his eyes. The wind picked up, and Hyperion staggered backward. **

**"Percy!" Grover called in amazement. "How are you doing that?" Doing what? I thought. Then I looked down, and I realized I was standing in the middle of my own personal hurricane. **

"It was a combination of your water and his heat that did it," Annabeth explained.

**Clouds of water vapor swirled around me, winds so powerful they buffeted Hyperion and flattened the grass in a twenty-yard radius. Enemy warriors threw javelins at me, but the storm knocked them aside. **

**"Sweet," I muttered. "But a little more!" Lightning flickered around me. **

"How'd you work out that?" Jason asked.

"Me," Thalia said.

"Well then it's not as impressive," Marcus said.

"Hey, I'd never summoned that much lightning before!" Thalia argued.

"Still, it's all part of your "Sky Princess Thing,'" Leo inserted.

"Sky Princess thing?" both Jason and Thalia asked. Thalia looked murderous, but Jason looked ready to laugh.

"That's awesome, Leo," Jason snorted.

"No, it's not," Thalia said, you could almost see the electricity surrounding her. Leo gulped, and Jason decided it was best to keep reading.

**The clouds darkened and the rain swirled faster. I closed in on Hyperion and blew him off his feet. **

**"Percy!" Grover called again. "Bring him over here!" I slashed and jabbed, letting my reflexes take over, Hyperion could barely defend himself. His eyes kept trying to ignite, but the hurricane quenched his flames. I couldn't keep up a storm like this forever, though. I could feel my powers weakening. With one last effort, I propelled Hyperion across the field, straight to where Grover was waiting. **

**"I will not be toyed with!" Hyperion bellowed. He managed to get to his feet again, but Grover put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play. Leneus joined him. Around the grove, every satyr took up the song-an eerie melody, like a creek flowing over stones. The ground erupted at Hyperion's feet. Gnarled roots wrapped around his legs. **

"You are turning him into a tree!" Reyna said, smirking. She was impressed by the Greeks.

"Hey, no ruining the ending!" Ryan replied, "I hadn't figured it out yet."

"You wouldn't have figured it out until three minutes after it happened," Reyna rebutted.

**"What's this?" he protested. He tried to shake off the roots, but he was still weak. The roots thickened until he looked like he was wearing wooden boots. "Stop this!" he shouted. "Your woodland magic is no match for a Titan!" But the more he struggled, the faster the roots grew. They curled about his body, thickening and hardening into bark. His golden armor melted into the wood, becoming part of a large trunk. The music continued. Hyperion's forces backed up in astonishment as their leader was absorbed. He stretched out his arms and they became branches, from which smaller branches shot out and grew leaves. The tree grew taller and thicker, until only the Titan's face was visible in the middle of the trunk. **

**"You cannot imprison me!" he bellowed. **

"Oh, but they can," Dakota laughed.

**"I am Hyperion! I am-" The bark closed over his face. **

"I love how you roar his part," Kylie said to Jason, laughing.

"Thank you," Jason said in his Hyperion voice. Piper jabbed Jason in the stomach with her elbow.

"Oops, sorry," Piper said pointedly. Jason quirked an eyebrow at her. Piper just shrugged, "Keep reading we have to be nearly done.

**Grover took his pipes from his mouth. "You are a very nice maple tree." Several of the other satyrs passed out from exhaustion, but they'd done their job well. The Titan lord was completely encased in an enormous maple. The trunk was at least twenty feet in diameter, with branches as tall as any in the park. The tree might've stood there for centuries. The Titan's army started to retreat. A cheer went up from the Athena cabin, but our victory was short-lived. **

**Because just then Kronos unleashed his surprise. "REEEEET!" **

"What the Hades says 'Reet?'" Leo asked.

"Percy as a guinea pig," Annabeth replied, she gave Percy a patronizing smile.

"Guinea pig?" Gwen asked, smiling.

Thalia laughed, "When exactly did this happen and why wasn't I informed?" Percy groaned. "Ooh, this must be good. Annabeth, you are telling me this story later."

**The squeal echoed through upper Manhattan. Demigods and monsters alike froze in terror. Grover shot me a panicked look.**

**"Why does that sound like . . . It can't be!" I knew what he was thinking. Two years ago we'd gotten a "gift" from Pan-a huge boar that carried us across the Southwest (after it tried to kill us). The boar had a similar squeal, but what we were hearing now seemed higher pitched, shriller, almost like . . . like if the boar had an angry girlfriend. **

**"REEEEEET!" A huge pink creature soared over the reservoir-a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade nightmare blimp with wings. "A sow!" Annabeth cried. "Take cover!" **

"A sow that flies?" Marcus asked.

"You didn't gather that from the chapter title?" Harley asked.

"Well, yeah, but it still seems far-fetched."

"Yes and you're the son of Pluto," Harley replied, "If you told people that they'd ask how a dwarf planet has kids."

"Touché."

**The demigods scattered as the winged lady pig swooped down. Her wings were pink like a flamingo's, which matched her skin beautifully, but it was hard to think of her as cute when her hooves slammed into the ground, barely missing one of Annabeth's siblings.**

"Percy, when we get back to camp, you need to really learn your girlfriend's family's names," Thalia said.

"There are a lot," Percy complained.

"Only six year-rounders," Annabeth said.

"Fine, when we get back to camp I'll learn their names," Percy conceded.

"Do you want me to learn your family's names?" Jason asked Piper. Piper shrugged.

"Right now I don't even know their names."

**The pig stomped around and tore down half an acre of trees, belching a cloud of noxious gas. Then it took off again, circling around for another strike. "Don't tell me that thing is from Greek mythology," I complained.**

**"Afraid so," Annabeth said. "The Clazmonian Sow. It terrorized Greek towns back in the day."**

**"Let me guess," I said. "Hercules beat it." **

**"Nope," Annabeth said. "As far as I know, no hero has ever beaten it."**

"Ooch," Dakota said, making a face.

**"Perfect," I muttered. The Titan's army was recovering from its shock. I guess they realized the pig wasn't after them. We only had seconds before they were ready to fight, and our forces were still in a panic. Every time the sow belched, Grover's nature spirits yelped and faded back into their trees. **

**"That pig has to go." I grabbed a grappling hook from one of Annabeth's siblings. "I'll take care of it. You guys hold the rest of the enemy. Push them back!"**

**"But, Percy," Grover said, "what if we can't?" I saw how tired he was. The magic had really drained him. Annabeth didn't look much better from fighting with a bad shoulder wound. **

Annabeth Gibb-slapped Percy. "Hey!" Percy said, rubbing the backside of his head.

"Don't think about me right now!" Annabeth said, "I'm fine you need to fight the Clazmonian Sow!"

"But this happened like a year ago," Percy replied.

**I didn't know how the Hunters were doing, but the right flank of the enemy army was now between them and us. I didn't want to leave my friends in such bad shape, but that sow was the biggest threat. It would destroy everything: buildings, trees, sleeping mortals. It had to be stopped.**

**"Retreat if you need to," I said. "Just slow them down. I'll be back as soon as I can." Before I could change my mind, I swung the grappling hook like a lasso. When the sow came down for its next pass, I threw with all my strength. The hook wrapped around the base of the pig's wing. It squealed in rage and veered off, yanking the rope and me into the sky.**

**If you're heading downtown from Central Park, my advice is to take the subway. Flying pigs are faster, but way more dangerous. The sow soared past the Plaza Hotel, straight into the canyon of Fifth Avenue. My brilliant plan was to climb the rope and get on the pig's back. Unfortunately I was too busy swinging around dodging streetlamps and the sides of buildings.**

**Another thing I learned: it's one thing to climb a rope in gym class. It's a completely different thing to climb a rope attached to a moving pig's wing while you're flying at a hundred miles an hour. **

"Yeah, gym is harder," Leo chuckled.

**We zigzagged along several blocks and continued south on Park Avenue. **

_**Boss! Hey, boss!**_

**Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Blackjack speeding along next to us, darting back and forth to avoid the pig's wings. **

**"Watch out!" I told him. **

_**Hop on!**_** Blackjack whinnied. **_**I can catch you . . . probably.**_

"Probably! Yeah, jump on Jax, it's highly likely that a flying horse will catch you out of the sky in the middle of New York City," Harley said.

"Hey, I've seen weirder things," Percy said.

**That wasn't very reassuring. Grand Central lay dead ahead. Above the main entrance stood the giant statue of Hermes, which I guess hadn't been activated because it was so high up. I was flying right toward him at the speed of demigod-smashing. "Stay alert!" I told Blackjack. "I've got an idea." **

_**Oh, I hate your ideas.**_

"Don't we all," Thalia said, smirking.

**I swung outward with all my might. Instead of smashing into the Hermes statue, I whipped around it, circling the rope under its arms. I thought this would tether the pig, but I'd underestimated the momentum of a thirty-ton sow in flight.**

"You defaced our Dadstue!" Ryan said. Kylie made a face.

"That is perhaps your worst joke yet," Kylie said, shuddering.

**Just as the pig wrenched the statue loose from its pedestal, I let go. Hermes went for a ride, taking my place as the pig's passenger, and I free-fell toward the street. In that split second I thought about the days when my mom used to work at the Grand Central candy shop. I thought how bad it would be if I ended up as a grease spot on the pavement. **

**Then a shadow swooped under me, and thump-I was on Blackjack's back. It wasn't the most comfortable landing. In fact, when I yelled "OW!" my voice was an octave higher than usual. **

Now everyone laughed except Jax who was about ten shades redder than a tomato.

_**Sorry, boss,**_** Blackjack murmured.**

**"No problem," I squeaked.**

More laughter.

**"Follow that pig!" The porker had taken a right at East 42nd and was flying back toward Fifth Avenue. When it flew above the rooftops, I could see fires here and there around the city. It looked like my friends were having a rough time. Kronos was attacking on several fronts. But at the moment, I had my own problems. **

**The Hermes statue was still on its leash. It kept bonking into buildings and spinning around. The pig swooped over an office building, and Hermes plowed into a water tower on the roof, blasting water and wood everywhere. Then something occurred to me.**

**"Get closer," I told Blackjack. He whinnied in protest. "Just within shouting distance," I said. "I need to talk to the statue."**

_**Now I'm sure you've lost it, boss,**_** Blackjack said, but he did what I asked. **

"Your pets are very loyal," Hazel noted. Percy laughed.

"Just don't call Blackjack a pet to his face," he warned.

**When I was close enough to see the statue's face clearly, I yelled, "Hello, Hermes! Command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Kill Flying Pigs! Begin Activation!" **

**Immediately the statue moved its legs. It seemed confused to find that it was no longer on top of Grand Central Terminal. It was, instead, being given a sky-ride on the end of a rope by a large winged sow. It smashed through the side of a brick building, which I think made it a little mad. It shook its head and began to climb the rope. I glanced down at the street. We were coming up on the main public library, with the big marble lions flanking the steps. Suddenly I had a weird thought: Could stone statues be automatons too? **

**It seemed like a long shot, but . . . "Faster!" I told Blackjack. "Get in front of the pig, Taunt him!" **

_**Um, boss,**_

**"Trust me," I said. "I can do this . . . probably." **

"Revenge!" Leo called out.

_**Oh, sure. Mock the horse**_**. **

**Blackjack burst through the air. He could fly pretty darned fast when he wanted to. He got in front of the pig, which now had a metal Hermes on its back.**

**Blackjack whinnied, **_**You smell like ham!**_** He kicked the pig in the snout with his back hooves and went into a steep dive. The pig screamed in rage and followed. We barreled straight for the front steps of the library. Blackjack slowed down just enough for me to hop off, then he kept flying toward the main doors.**

**I yelled out, "Lions! Command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Kill Flying Pigs! Begin Activation!" The lions stood up and looked at me. They probably thought I was teasing them.**

"Yeah, if someone told me to go kill flying pigs, I'd think they were kidding," Gwen said.

**But just then: "REEEEEET!" The massive pink pork monster landed with a thud, cracking the sidewalk. The lions stared at it, not believing their luck, and pounced. At the same time, a very beat-up Hermes statue leaped onto the pig's head and started banging it mercilessly with a caduceus. Those lions had some nasty claws. I drew Riptide, but there wasn't much for me to do. The pig disintegrated before my eyes. I almost felt sorry for it. I hoped it got to meet the boar of its dreams down in Tartarus. **

"You know, the boar and the sow make me think of Ares and Aphrodite in some ways," Thalia said.

"Should I be offended?" Piper asked good-naturedly.

**When the monster had completely turned to dust, the lions and the Hermes statue looked around in confusion. "You can defend Manhattan now," I told them, but they didn't seem to hear. They went charging down Park Avenue, and I imagined they would keep looking for flying pigs until someone deactivated them. **

"I wonder if anyone ever sent them to be a living statue on the streets of New York," Kylie said.

_**Hey, boss,**_** said Blackjack. **_**Can we take a donut break? **_

**I wiped the sweat off my brow. "I wish, big guy, but the fight's still going on." In fact, I could hear it getting closer. My friends needed help. I jumped on Blackjack, and we flew north toward the sound of explosions.**

"Far less gay than your last flight on Blackjack," Dakota approved.

"Yes, but I'd take the gay over explosions any day," Hazel said.

"So you'd rather me be gay than have an explosion-fetish?" Dakota asked.

"Yes, mainly because that would hurt," Hazel replied. Percy swiftly covered Gwen's ears.

"Jason, would you please just keep reading," Annabeth asked.

"The chapter's over," Jason replied. Ryan jumped up from the cot and grinned.

"Lunch!" Ryan yelled triumphantly. Everyone turned to Annabeth for permission. She nodded.

"That chapter was a lot longer than I thought it was going to be," Annabeth said.

* * *

**This is over 20 pages of text, and well I had to convert from a wall of paragraph-free words, which is terrifying. I hope you liked the chapter and that it was worth the wait. Srry for the late update. Please Review and thank you to all those who gave me that kick in the butt. It was helpful.**


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